The foliage-strewn ruins of Cadzow Castle, currently being stabilised by Historic Scotland to prevent what is left from tumbling down. No-one is entirely sure why the powerful Dukes of Hamilton had it built, or even exactly when (estimate are early 1500s), as they already had their own much larger and more strategic and powerful castle (which evolved into a large palace, sadly it had to be demolished in the 20s).
It's thought from what is left of Cadzow in the now public park that was once part of the duke's estates (a short walk from the still surviving hunting lodge of Chatelherault, seen in some previous pics a few days ago) that it may be most closely related to Craignethan Castle, also in Lanarkshire (I shot that a couple of years back - <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/woolamaloo_gazette/5001852985/in/photolist-8C3XLJ-8BZPqp-8BZnnx-8C3VFq-8C3WDJ-8BZNCz-8C3tV3">www.flickr.com/photos/woolamaloo_gazette/5001852985/in/ph...</a> ) which is alos early 16th century.
Now, though, Cadzow it just chunks of ruin on either side of the path through the former hunting estate, a little up from the Duke's Bridge which I posted pics of earlier, much of it covered by plants so it is hard to make out. My choice of photos was restricted as the entire structure is fenced off with high railings as it isn't safe, so I could only get a few shots, sticking my lens through gaps in the railings.
Cadzow Castle suffered catastrophic damage in 1579 by forces loyal to Mary Queen of Scots, and it was never rebuilt. Much later the dukes had the ruins incorporated into the landscape as a Romantic folly and feature in the landscape
Cadzow Castle is a tourist attraction, one of the Ruins in Hamilton, ዩናይትድ ኪንግደም. It is located: 11 km from Motherwell, 14 km from Darkhall, 810 km from Liverpool. Read further
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