Elcho Castle

Elcho Castle stands four miles south-east of Perth on the south bank of the River Tay. Built around 1560, it is a Z-plan tower house with four integrated towers and a surrounding barmkin wall. The castle’s unusual design includes seventeen gun loops at lower levels and en suite guest rooms like a mansion. Metal grilles protect some windows, and a single entrance is guarded by a yett. The walls were once harled, though only small patches remain today. A nearby flooded quarry once served as a private dock with a 19th-century jetty. The castle is worth visiting for its fine example of a medieval tower house and its rare features. It was maintained by Clan Wemyss from its construction until the early 20th century. In 1628, John Wemyss became the first Lord Wemyss of Elcho, and decorative plasterwork was added to the hall. The castle survived near-burning in 1773 when grain stored for export sparked unrest. Abandoned after 1773, it was re-roofed in 1830 to preserve it and remains in the Wemyss family’s care. Visitors find a multi-storied structure with a vaulted ground floor containing a large kitchen and cellars. The first floor, or ‘noble floor,’ holds a main hall and a great bedchamber with a small side room and en suite latrine. Upper floors feature smaller rooms, roof-top walkways, and a guest wing with its own latrines. A turnpike staircase leads to the first floor, with additional staircases to upper levels. The surrounding area includes a 16th-century dovecote and an orchard planted with apple and pear trees in 1999.