The Medieval Bothwell Castle

It was a wet Saturday morning and I was on a mission.

I had known - since a child - that Bothwell Castle existed and had vowed that one day I would visit it. The time had come.

As I ambled through Bothwell Woods from Blantyre Station I wondered what I would find. Something grim and grey? Then it appeared between the trees - rose red. Breathtaking. Not surprising that it is regarded as one of the outstanding monuments of medieval Scotland.

The Lordship of Bothwell was created in the 12^th century by King Malcolm IV and was granted to David Oliford.  It is thought that Oliford’s castle, which was probably made of earth and timber, was near St. Bride’s Church in the nearby town of Bothwell.

When Oliford’s grandson, William, died in 1243 the lordship passed to his son-in-law, Walter of Moray who is thought to have begun work on the now ruined castle.

During Edward I’s invasion of Scotland in 1296, William Moray of Bothwell and the castle were taken by the English.  Williams’ nephew Andrew took up the Scottish cause but was mortally wounded at the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297.

In the 14^th century Edward III made the castle his headquarters for a short while. There were many battles back and forth between England and Scotland involving the castle and it sustained a tremendous amount of damage. Archibald Douglas (the third Earl of Douglas) made Bothwell his base and set about restoring it. By 1424 Bothwell Castle was one of the most impressive fortress-residences of its day.

In 1455 the barony and castle reverted to the Crown and in 1489, it was bestowed by King James IV on Patrick Hepburn of Dunsyre.  He was also created Earl of Bothwell.  In 1492, at the King’s request, Hepburn exchanged Bothwell - for the barony of Hermitage - with Archibald Douglas, fifth Earl of Angus. 

In the 17^th century Bothwell was acquired by the first Earl of Forfar who, towards the end of the century decided he wanted somewhere more comfortable to live and proceeded to build a mansion.  Bothwell House - a Palladian mansion - was to the east of the castle and was demolished in 1926, a victim of subsidence (in Victorian times the town turned from agriculture to coal mining - hence the subsidence!).

From the remaining parts of the castle it is easy to see the layout.  In one corner near the almost intact South-East Tower was the chapel. To the side of this Tower was the Great Hall.  As there were cellars beneath it, the Banqueting Hall was reached by a flight of steps up from the courtyard. 

Unfortunately only a part of the magnificent main tower (the Lord’s residence) survives.  Even so, it is pretty impressive as it still stands 27.4m high.  From inside I looked up at the somewhat daunting walls and arched gothic windows. The embrasures show the thickness of the walls – all 4.6m of them.

Then the rain really began to pour down so it was time to leave. By the time I reached the town of Bothwell I was wet, cold and looking like a drowned rat. I decided against taking a walk around the town and caught a bus back to the centre of Glasgow and my hotel.

At least that was one more item to tick off my bucket list!

The River Clyde which flows past the castle 

PS. Mary, Queen of Scots, third husband was James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell. No relation!

'A Favourite Aunt' - Colin's concept of affection.

So a new phase in their life began. Evenings sitting watching television. All two channels in black and white. Did they, like any normal young couple cosy up on the sofa? Of course not. The sofa was against a wall and they sat in armchairs like a long married old couple. She really would like to have some signs of affection from him. Especially when seeing some of their neighbours. Like the time the couple from across the road stood chatting to them, their arms about each other. You could have driven a motorbike between her and Colin.

'Disgusting,' was Colin's comment once they were indoors.

'What?'

'Disgusting. Their arms about each other out in public.'

Blimey, you'd have thought they'd been standing there making love! Sylvia did not say out loud. She was envious. All she ever got as he left for work in the morning was a peck on the cheek.

2015

By the time Robert and Mary finished laughing Christina was smiling. 'Yes, I know it is funny in retrospect but, honestly! If you were to put all of that into a fictional story you'd be accused of making it up. It really was all so ridiculous.'

'But not if you realise that he is probably gay,' Robert pointed out.

'I know. So-called Victorian upbringing.'

Robert hooted with laughter. 'They were worse than the Edwardians with all their shenanigans. It was amazing the amount and types of sexual activity that went on in those days.'

'We know that now, darling,' his wife said quietly, 'but not back in the nineteen sixties.'

'Colin's problems really began with his family. His Dad was a shouter and hitter. He died while Colin was still at school which meant his meek mother and big sister brought him up.'

'Spoiled?'

'Was he ever. The best example I can give you is the one that always makes me laugh. Every evening for supper he insisted on a cup of coffee and a slice of buttered toast. The bread had to be doorstop thick, toasted exactly right - no burnt bits - and the butter should reach the sides and corners.'

'Do what?'

'I haven't finished yet. He maintained that he wasn't spoiled as a child because they couldn't afford butter but....' She gave a dramatic pause and Robert gave her the beat, ' "at least my mother made sure the margarine went to all of the edges and corners".'

Following a stunned silence Mary eventually said, 'It beggars belief, doesn't it?'

Robert sighed. 'I still reckon he's gay. It seems he was always trying to assert his manliness.'


A FAVOURITE AUNT, by Christina is available on Kobo, Kindle and in paperback.