It's thought that there were once a staggering 3,000 castles across Scotland.Today, they number closer to 1,500. They lie ready to excite visitors with enthralling legends, well-kept gardens, and incredible views.
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Scottish castles represent the country's long and colourful history. Scotland is home to over 1500 castles but it's thought there may have been as many as 3000 castles! Let's take a closer look at some historic Scottish castles, who lived in them, and how they were built!
The Scottish king encouraged Norman and French nobles to settle in Scotland, introducing a feudal mode of landholding and the use of castles as a way of controlling the contested Scottish Lowlands.
Scotland has been home to more castles than anywhere else in the UK, with there being around 1,800 castles that have previously, or still do stand today.
This is a little known fact; Wales has more castles per square mile than any other country in Europe. Wales's history has left a landscape scattered with Iron Age hill forts, Roman ruins and castles from Medieval Welsh princes and English kings.
Apparently, the oldest castle still standing in Scotland that can be dated is Castle Sween. It was built in the 1100s along the eastern shore of Loch Sween, in Knapdale, Argyll. The oldest continuously inhabited castle in the country though is Dunvegan Castle, the ancestral home of Clan MacLeod for over 800 years.
Crookston Castle was built by the Stewarts of Darnley around 1400, this unusual castle is set within earthworks constructed in the 1100s. Extensively repaired following a siege in 1544. The only surviving medieval castle in the City of Glasgow, it stands as a reminder of the area's former rural character.
Hermit's Castle is possibly the most unusual of all Scotland's castles. It is certainly the smallest and the newest. It was built by David Scott, an English architect in the 1950s and was designed to blend in with the surrounding rocks so don't be surprised if you have difficulty spotting it.
The Savills selection of castles for sale in Scotland is extensive and unique. Known as 'The Home of Golf', with bustling cities like Edinburgh and approximately 800 individual islands, Scotland is a remarkable country, filled with amazing properties for sale.
Hermitage Castle is found in a beautiful rural location in Liddesdale and its turbulent history has led to it being described as 'the guardhouse of the bloodiest valley in Britain'. Partly restored in the 19th century, the castle was originally built by Lord de Soules in the 1240s.
There are more than 30,000 castles and ruins left in Ireland today, most dating from the 12th to 16th centuries. Visiting a few (or many) of them will allow you to learn about Irish history right from the source.
Whilst the exact number is not known, experts have estimated that Germany is home to over 20.000 castles. From castles that look like they come straight out of a fairy tale to medieval fortresses with moats, Germany features some of Europe's most impressive castles and palaces.
From fairytale castles to mighty fortresses, the Dordogne Valley is the proud owner of a stunning cultural heritage and some of the prettiest sites in France.