Scots castles

For individual castles, see leet o castles in Scotland.

Scots castles are biggins that combine fortifications an residence, biggit athin the borders o modren Scotland. Castles arrivit in Scotland wi the introduction o feudalism in the twalt century. Initially thir wur firthen motte-an-bailey constructions, but mony wur replacit bi stane castles wi a heich curtain waw. Durin the Wars o Unthirldom, Robert the Bruce pursued a policy o castle slichtin. In the late Middle Ages new castles wur biggit, some on a grander scale as "livery an maintenance" castles that coud support a lairge garrison. Gunpouder weaponry led tae the uise o gun ports, platforms tae munt guns an waws adaptit tae resist bombardment.

Caerlaverock Castle, a moatit triangular castle, first biggit in the thirteent century

Mony o the late Medieval castles biggit in the borders wur in the fuirm o touer hooses, smawer pele touers or simpler bastle hooses. Frae the fifteent century thare wis a phase o Renaissance palace biggin, which restructured thaim as castle-teep pailaces, beginnin at Lithgae. Elements o Medieval castles, ryal pailaces an touer hooses wur uised in the construction o Scots baronial estate hooses, which wur biggit lairgely for comfort, but wi a castle-lik appearance. In the seiventeent an aichteent centuries the militar significance o castles declined, but thay increasinly became tourist attractions. Elements o the Scots Baronial style wad be revivit frae the late aichteent century an the trend wad be confirmit in popularity bi the rebiggin o Balmoral Castle in the nineteent century an its adoption as a retreat bi Queen Victoria. In the twintiet century thare wur anerly isolatit ensaumples o new castle-influencit hooses. Mony touer hooses wur renovatit, an mony castles wur taken ower bi the National Trust for Scotland or Historic Scotland an are open tae the public.