Castle Huntly

Castle Huntly stands on a rocky outcrop in the Carse of Gowrie, Perth and Kinross, about eleven kilometres west of Dundee. The castle overlooks the Firth of Tay and is surrounded by farmland where marsh once lay. Lord Gray of Fowlis built the castle around 1452 with permission from James II. In 1614 the Earl of Strathmore took ownership and renamed it Castle Lyon. Two women, Apollonia Kickius and Mrs Morris, worked there as painters in the late 17th century. The name returned to Castle Huntly in the 1770s after George Paterson bought it from the widow of the 7th Earl of Strathmore. The castle became an open prison in 1947 after the Paterson family sold it to the government. It is now Scotland’s only open prison, holding low-risk prisoners serving short sentences and some long-sentence prisoners nearing the end of their time. Colonel Adrian Gordon Paterson’s wife sold the castle in 1946. The site began as a borstal before becoming a young offenders’ institution. Most prisoners serve up to two years, though some have longer terms. Visitors can see the castle from the main road between Dundee and Perth. The rocky base and farmland setting remain much as they were when the castle was built. The interior reflects its long history, though public access is limited. The building’s defensive position on the outcrop is still clear. The Firth of Tay provides a wide view from the site. The castle’s name changes over the centuries mark different owners and uses.