Cawdor Castle

Cawdor Castle stands in the parish of Cawdor in Nairnshire, Scotland. It is built around a 15th-century tower house with later additions. The castle was originally a property of the Calder family before passing to the Campbells in the 16th century. It remains in Campbell ownership today, home to Angelika Campbell, Dowager Countess Cawdor. The castle is best known for its literary connection to Shakespeare’s Macbeth, though the play’s story is highly fictionalised. It is a category A listed building, and its grounds are included in Scotland’s Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes. The castle’s earliest documented date is 1454, when a licence to fortify was granted to William Calder. Some parts of the tower house may date back to around 1380. Tradition claims the castle was built around a living holly tree, and the remains of this tree can still be seen in the lowest level of the tower. The iron yett in the castle was brought from nearby Lochindorb Castle after it was dismantled in the 15th century. Over the centuries, the castle was expanded by successive generations of the Calder and Campbell families. The castle’s gardens include the Walled Garden, originally planted in the 17th century, the Flower Garden from the 18th century, and the Wild Garden added in the 1960s. The grounds also feature a wood with numerous tree species and over 100 species of lichen. The castle itself is surrounded by extensive woodlands established in the 18th century. Visitors can explore the courtyard, accessed by a drawbridge, and the various ranges added in the 19th century. The castle’s setting, with its historic tower and mature gardens, offers a glimpse into Scotland’s architectural and horticultural heritage.