Castle Roy

Castle Roy has no known history, but is supposed to have been built by the Comyns who were ousted from the district in 1308.

Description
The castle is set upon a glacial knoll and not a motte. It consists of a simple rectangular enclosure some 80' by 50' that is defended by a 7' thick curtain wall still standing up to 15' high. Excavation found the wall foundations shallow and built upon the topsoil rather than being dug into the subsoil. The foundations of the north-east and north-west curtains proved to be different. It was felt the north-east wall had better foundations as it housed the principal entrance and was more grand.

The entrance gate lay to the north, while a square tower is at the north-west angle. A mural chamber existed in the west corner which once had a vault and an adjoining garderobe serving a projecting turret. This served a 2 storey building of which parts of a first floor window remain. A building range lay along the south-east wall, while excavation uncovered the remains of a timber building to the south-west where a later hall was constructed. Wall stabilisation uncovered window reveals, an intramural passage and a garderobe at the first floor of the west wall, indicating the castle walls only probably stand to half their original height.

Similar rectangular castles exist at Balvenie, Banff and Kincardine.

Why not join me at other Great Scottish Castles this Spring? Information on tours at Scholarly Sojourns.

Index

Home