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Mains Castle


Mains Castle was probably built in the late 15th or early 16th century, and stands in an elevated position on a mound above a small loch known as Crawford’s Hole.

Measuring around 11.6m east-north-east to west-south-west by 8.2m west-north-west to east-south-east, it rises to a height of approximately 12.5m to the top of the parapets, with a garret adding another 3.7m, and stands on top of what is thought to be a motte.

The castle is entered by a low arched doorway at the west side of the south wall, which leads into an intra-mural spiral stair rising the full height of the building and surmounted by a square caphouse.

At ground floor level is a vaulted chamber with a loft level accessed separately from the stair by a passageway, at the end of which is a small trapdoor leading down to a prison within the castle’s wall.

On the first floor is the main hall, with two windows featuring window seats. The second floor was divided into two chambers, most probably bedrooms. Leaving the caphouse gives access to the parapet walk and the garret.

Originally the castle would have been surrounded by a barmkin wall and ancillary buildings, although these are no longer present. The entire site was surrounded by a deep ditch, with access over a drawbridge to the east. The gatehouse for the drawbridge was decorated with a stone carving of the Royal Arms. The ditch and evidence of the drawbridge were apparently still visible in 1793.

The lands of Kilbride were originally owned by the Norman de Valognes family. Upon the marriage of Isabel de Valognes to David Comyn in the early 13th century the estate came into the possession of the Comyn family. The motte of Comyn’s Castle is still visible on the crest of the hill above Mains Castle.

One of their descendants, John Comyn, Lord of Badenoch (the Red Comyn), was the son of John de Balliol’s sister, so naturally he supported Balliol’s claim to the Scottish throne. This put him at odds with the rival claimant Robert the Bruce, and in 1306 John Comyn was murdered by Bruce.

Bruce confiscated the Comyn lands and gave them to his son-in-law, Walter Stewart. In 1382 the former Comyn estates were granted to the Lindsay family by King Robert II, in recognition of the help of the Lindsays in the murder of John Comyn.

Mains Castle shares design similarities with Crossbasket Castle, another Lindsay property in the area.

In 1619 the castle and estates were sold to the Stuarts of Torrance to pay off debts run up by Alexander Lindsay of Dunrod. With the Stuarts having their main residence at Torrance House, Mains Castle was neglected.

In 1723 the castle had its roof removed, with the slates being used in building work at Torrance House. Around 1743 the carved panel from the drawbridge gate was taken to Torrance House where it was set above the doorway.

In the 1880s the castle was restored, but it was later abandoned once more, and between world War I and World War II the roof was again removed following damage during a storm. It remained an unoccupied ruin until 1976 when a 10 year program of restoration was begun by Mike Rowan, better known as the stilt performer Big Rory.

It is still a private residence today, but is situated on the edge of the James Hamilton Heritage Park.

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Alternative names for Mains Castle

Laigh Mains Castle; Kellebrid; Kilbride Castle

Clans associated with Mains Castle

Cumming

Surnames associated with Mains Castle

Comyn

Stuart

Where is Mains Castle?

Mains Castle is in the parish of East Kilbride and the county of Lanarkshire.

Grid reference:NS 62788 56041

Lat / long:55.778166,-4.189256

Bing Maps | Google Maps | Historic maps (NLS) | OpenStreetMap | Ordnance Survey | PastMap | Streetmap | Wikimapia

OS Map for Mains Castle

OS map 342
Glasgow (Paisley, Rutherglen & Kirkintilloch)
OS Explorer map 342


Directions to Mains Castle

Enter a starting point

Weather at Mains Castle

1°C
max 4°C / min -1°C
2km/h N
1035mb
93%
20%
08:20 16:38

Few clouds
Weather observed at East Kilbride at 11:02
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References (books)

Anglo-Norman Castles
Robert Liddiard
Woodbridge, 2002
Robertson's Index of Charters
WIlliam Robertson
Edinburgh, 1629
The History of Rutherglen and East Kilbride
David Ure
Glasgow, 1793

References (websites)

Listed Building record
Canmore

Castles near Mains Castle

Comyn's Castle

0.1km away

Castle Hill motte

2.1km away

Rough Hill motte

2.1km away

Carmunnock (site of)

2.3km away

Kirk Burn motte

2.6km away

The Peel

3.5km away

Lickprivick Castle

3.5km away

Calderwood Castle (site of)

3.5km away

Craigneith Castle

3.6km away
more castles....
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Ancient sites near Mains Castle

Gowkstone standing stone

9.7km away

Gleniffer Braes standing stones

17.9km away

Shirva (site of) souterrain

20.5km away

Craigmaddie Muir (possible) standing stones

20.7km away

Craigmaddie Muir cairn, standing stone

20.8km away

Law Stone of Mugdock (site of) standing stones

21.6km away

Broadgate Farm standing stone

24.1km away

Strathblane standing stone

24.2km away

Langbank crannog

25.5km away
more ancient sites....

Pictish stones near Mains Castle

Hawkhill Class III cross-slab

45.7km away

Old Kilmadock 2 Class I symbol stone

47.0km away

Old Kilmadock 1 Class II symbol stone

47.1km away

Blackford Class I symbol stone

61.4km away

Tullibole Class III cross slab

61.9km away

Princes Street Gardens Class I symbol stone

64.6km away

Abernethy No. 2 Class III symbol stone

65.3km away

Abernethy No. 4 Class III cross shaft

65.3km away

Fowlis Wester Class II cross-slab

74.3km away
more Pictish stones....
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Pictish sites near Mains Castle

Whitecleugh silver chain

40.5km away

Todholes (possible) silver chain

42.2km away

Borland silver chain

44.3km away

Whitlaw silver chain

87.1km away

Haddington silver chain

90.4km away

Norrie's Law hoard

93.7km away

Traprain Law silver chain

97.3km away

Hoardweel silver chain

115.9km away

Dunnicaer fort

180.6km away
more Pictish sites....

Accommodation near Mains Castle

The Torrance Hotel
hotel, bar, restaurantEast Kilbride
1.4km away
Premier Inn Glasgow East Kilbride (Nerston Toll)
hotel, restaurantEast Kilbride
1.7km away
The Bruce Hotel, East Kilbride
hotelEast Kilbride
2.0km away
Premier Inn Glasgow East Kilbride (Peel Park)
hotel, restaurantEast Kilbride
2.0km away
Holiday Inn Glasgow East Kilbride
hotel, bar, restaurantEast Kilbride
2.5km away
Premier Inn Glasgow East Kilbride Central
hotel, restaurantEast Kilbride
2.7km away
Crossbasket Castle
hotel, restaurantHigh Blantyre
3.9km away
The Burnside Hotel
hotelGlasgow
4.3km away
Dunard Guest House
bed and breakfastCambuslang
4.3km away
Busby Hotel
hotel, bar, restaurantBusby
4.8km away

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more accommodation....

Cafés, restaurants & bars near Mains Castle

The Torrance Hotel
hotel, bar, restaurantEast Kilbride
1.4km away
Premier Inn Glasgow East Kilbride (Nerston Toll)
hotel, restaurantEast Kilbride
1.7km away
Premier Inn Glasgow East Kilbride (Peel Park)
hotel, restaurantEast Kilbride
2.0km away
Holiday Inn Glasgow East Kilbride
hotel, bar, restaurantEast Kilbride
2.5km away
Premier Inn Glasgow East Kilbride Central
hotel, restaurantEast Kilbride
2.7km away
Crossbasket Castle
hotel, restaurantHigh Blantyre
3.9km away
Busby Hotel
hotel, bar, restaurantBusby
4.8km away
Macdonald Crutherland House
hotel, restaurant, barEast Kilbride
5.0km away
Premier Inn Glasgow (Cambuslang / M74, J2A)
hotel, restaurantGlasgow
6.6km away
Best Western Eglinton Arms Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barEaglesham
6.7km away
more food.... / more drink....

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Dunbar harbour and castle
Published on the 23rd of July 2010 at 11:58 pm. Updated on the 12th of November 2022 at 7:04 pm.

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Andy Sweet above Fast Castle

Stravaiging around Scotland is written, photographed and researched by Andy Sweet.
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