Garth Castle

Garth Castle stands on a small grassy knoll near Coshieville in Glen Lyon, Perth and Kinross. It is a 14th-century tower house built in 1384 by Alexander Stewart, Earl of Buchan, known as the Wolf of Badenoch. The castle sits almost apart from the fields, surrounded by two deep ravines with fast-flowing streams that join below. These streams flow through a wooded ravine before meeting the River Lyon a mile away. The tower is square, built with unhewn boulders and quarried stones, its walls thick enough to support a height of 60 feet. The castle is closely linked to the Wolf of Badenoch, who died there in 1396. It remained in Stewart hands for a century until Neil Stewart, the fourth laird, took control in 1502. In 1654, during Cromwell’s campaign, Royalist Colonel Henry Wogan and his men occupied the castle but surrendered after a brief siege. Cannon fire destroyed the roof and drawbridge, leaving the castle in ruins for over 300 years. In 1880, ship magnate Donald Currie bought the estate and partially restored the structure, preserving its original style. Today, visitors find a restored tower rising above the ravines, its thick stone walls still standing strong. The surrounding wooded ravine offers quiet walks along the streams that once protected the castle. The setting remains remote, with the castle’s isolation helping to preserve its structure over centuries. The nearby Keltnie burn flows through the glen, adding to the peaceful atmosphere. The tower’s square design and sturdy construction are clear signs of its medieval purpose. The castle’s history is visible in every stone, from its 14th-century origins to its later restorations.