Craignethan Castle

Craignethan Castle is a ruined castle in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is located above the River Nethan, a tributary of the River Clyde, west of the village of Crossford.

Construction of the castle was begun in 1530 by James Hamilton of Finnart. Although built on an imposing site above a bend in the river, the castle is actually overlooked by higher ground to the west, making it far more vulnerable than it appears. The Hamilton family were supporters of Mary, Queen of Scots, and as a result the castle was taken and retaken several times during the unrest of the late 16th Century. Each time, however, the castle was surrendered without violence.

It is believed locally that the castle was the inspiration for 'Tillietudlem Castle', in Sir Walter Scott's novel, Old Mortality. This may or may not be the case, but a nearby hamlet has adopted the name Tillietudlem in more recent years.

The castle is now in the care of Historic Scotland.

This text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License