Biggar Castle

Biggar Castle stands in the small town of Biggar, South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It was a motte-and-bailey castle built in the 12th century by Baldwin of Biggar on land granted by David I of Scotland. Baldwin and his son Waltheof both served as Sheriffs of Lanarkshire. The castle passed to the Fleming family in the 13th century through the marriage of Marjory, heiress of Biggar. The Flemings held it until abandoning it for Boghall Castle in the 14th century. The site is worth visiting for its early medieval origins and the story of its owners. Baldwin and his son played key roles in local administration as sheriffs. Marjory’s marriage linked the castle to the powerful Fleming family, who later moved to Boghall Castle. The motte, a large earthen mound, still survives today. The castle’s abandonment in the 14th century adds to its layered history. Visitors find a grassy motte rising above the town, with no stone structures remaining. The motte offers a view over Biggar’s High Street and surrounding countryside. Nearby, the town preserves other traces of its past, including references to the Fleming family. The site is quiet, with no modern intrusions, allowing a sense of the medieval landscape. It is a simple but evocative reminder of Scotland’s early castle-building era.