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Cadzow Castle, Chatelherault, Hamilton

Overlooking the impressive Avon Gorge in Chatelherault Country Park, Cadzow Castle is a now ruined structure originally constructed between 1500 and 1550 on the site of a former castle dating back to the 12th-century. The current castle was built by the same architect as Craignethan Castle, Sir James Hamilton of Finnart, a Scottish nobleman who had been appointed as Steward of the Royal Household and Master of Work to King James V.
Cadzow Castle overlooking Avon Gorge, as seen from Duke's Bridge. [1]
Today, little of the castle remains visible to the public. In its ruined state, the castle presents many dangers to visitors and so a tall grey metal fence has been erected around the structure, with a locked gate preventing access. The ruins themselves, which are owned and conserved by Historic Environment Scotland, are mostly supported by scaffolding which further obscures the ability to view the castle.

A sign placed by Historic Scotland (the predecessor to Historic Environment Scotland) on the scaffolding. This is just behind the perimeter fence.
The ruins are, for the most part, covered in dense vegetation, including ivies and grass. This will most likely lead to further structural issues in the future. Historic Environment Scotland do appear to be interested in the restoration of this site, however little 

Sir Walter Scott Poem

Sir Walter Scott (1771 - 1832), a prominent Scottish writer, immortalised Cadzow Castle in poetry during a visit to the estate. The first four verses are included below, or you can read the poem in full at our article "Cadyow Castle by Sir Walter Scott". Note that Scott has written the castle's name as "Cadyow" - the "y" is in place of the Older Scots letter yogh (ȝ). With the correct pronunciation being "Cad-zow", this is likely why the spelling has differed over the years between "Cadȝow", "Cadyow" and "Cadzow".

Cadyow Castle

by Sir Walter Scott

Addressed to the Right Hon. Lady Anne Hamilton.

When princely Hamilton's abode
Ennobled Cadyow's Gothic towers,
The song went round, the goblet flow'd,,
And revel sped the laughing hours.

Then, thrilling to the harp's gay sound,
So sweetly rung each vaulted wall,
And echoed light the dancer's bound,
As mirth and music cheer'd the hall.

But Cadyow's towers, in ruins laid,
And vaults, by ivy mantled o'er,
And echoed light the dancer's bound,
As mirth and music cheer'd the hall.

Yet still, of Cadyow's faded fame,
You bid me tell a minstrel tale,
And tune my harp, of Border frame.
On the wild banks of Evandale.

Image Attribution

[1] By Supergolden. [CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons.

 Images with no attribution are Copyright © 2017, Adam Black. All rights reserved.

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Location: Chatelherault Country Park, Hamilton ML3 7UE, UK

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