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Montrose Castle (site of)

Montrose Castle was a royal castle which may have been established by David I in the 12th century. It was certainly in existence by 1178 during the reign of William the Lion however nothing of it now remains and its exact location is disputed.

William issued charters from the castle at Montrose including one granting land to a man called Crane “for the service of being a porter in the royal castle of Montrose”. Some sources state that Edward I of England accepted John Balliol’s surrender of Scotland at the castle in 1296 although others assert that this occurred at Brechin. In 1297 the castle was destroyed by William Wallace but may have been rebuilt.

In 1488 David Lindsay, 5th Earl of Crawford, was created 1st Duke of Montrose and was granted the ruinous castle in the same year. Following the death of Lindsay in 1495 the property reverted to the Crown but was later granted to the Graham family who built a tower house there. James Graham, later 1st Marquis of Montrose, is thought to have been born here in 1612.

Today the building, which has the address 3 and 4 Castle Place and is now used as a job centre, features a three bay castellated façade built in 1815 but incorporating earlier fabric and consists of a raised basement plus further storey. Attached to the rear is a later three storey building. During construction work in 1950 workmen discovered old foundations which appeared to continue under 5 and Castle Place next door to the south-west.

A mound at Maryton has also been put forward as a potential location for the castle although it is now thought that it may be a burial mound so seems unlikely.

Another suggested location for the castle was Fort Hill or Forthill (located at NO 7102 5740) however this is more likely to have been a turf fort built by French soldiers in the 1540s to defend the town against the English. An archaeological investigation in 1996 offered little evidence for either a castle site or for the fort.

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Alternative names for Montrose Castle

Castle of Montrose; Castle Place; Castle Stead House; Castlestead; Castlestead of Montrose; Castlested; Monros; Munros

Clans associated with Montrose Castle

Graham

Lindsay

Surnames associated with Montrose Castle

Graham

Graham of Montrose

Lindsay

Where is Montrose Castle?

Montrose Castle is in the parish of Montrose and the county of Angus.

Grid reference:NO 71422 57642

Lat / long:56.709595,-2.468408

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

OS Map for Montrose Castle

OS map 382
Arbroath, Montrose & Carnoustie (Laurencekirk)
OS Explorer map 382


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Directions to Montrose Castle

Enter a starting point

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Weather at Montrose Castle

4°C
max 5°C / min 3°C
35km/h WNW
1009mb
70%
57%
08:08 16:38

Broken clouds
Weather observed at Montrose at 05:38

References (books)

Anglo-Norman Castles
Robert Liddiard
Woodbridge, 2002
The Castles of Scotland
Martin Coventry
Prestongrange, 2015

References (websites)

Listed Building record
Canmore
Wikipedia

Castles near Montrose Castle

Craig House

1.8km away

Rossie Castle (site of)

2.4km away

Usan Tower (site of)

2.5km away

Baldovie (site of)

2.9km away

Dunninald Castle

3.7km away

Maryton (possible) (site of)

3.9km away

Black Jack Castle

4.1km away

Old Montrose (site of)

4.2km away

Kinnaber

4.3km away
more castles....
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Ancient sites near Montrose Castle

Old Montrose cursus

5.1km away

Inchbare South cursus

13.0km away

Inchbare North cursus

13.2km away

Balneaves Cottage cursus

13.6km away

Douglasmuir cursus

13.7km away

Milton cursus

14.4km away

Finavon fort

20.8km away

Finavon rock art

20.8km away

Hill of Finavon rock art

22.5km away
more ancient sites....

Pictish stones near Montrose Castle

Arnhall (possible) Class I symbol stone

15.8km away

Flemington Class III symbol stone

19.0km away

Woodrae 1 Class II cross slab

19.5km away

Woodrae 2 Class II cross slab

19.5km away

Fordoun Stone Class II cross slab

20.8km away

St Ringan's Cairn Class II cross slab

22.6km away

Dunnicaer 2 Class I symbol stone

31.8km away

Dunnicaer 3 Class I symbol stone

31.8km away

Dunnicaer 4 Class I symbol stone

31.8km away
more Pictish stones....

Pictish sites near Montrose Castle

Dunnicaer fort

31.8km away

Nigg silver chain

50.4km away

Norrie's Law hoard

58.6km away

Parkhill silver chain

59.9km away

Traprain Law silver chain

83.7km away

Haddington silver chain

86.3km away

Hoardweel silver chain

97.9km away

Gaulcross hoard

107.7km away

Whitlaw silver chain

111.7km away
more Pictish sites....
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Accommodation near Montrose Castle

Chapel House B&B
bed and breakfastFerryden
0.4km away
Links Hotel
hotel, restaurant, café, barMontrose
0.4km away
Park Hotel, Ferryden
hotelFerryden
1.5km away
Northern Hotel
hotelBrechin
11.9km away
Gramarcy House
bed and breakfastBrechin
12.2km away
Letham Grange Golf Hotel & Country Estate
hotelColliston
14.8km away
The Glenesk Hotel
hotelEdzell
15.7km away
The Garden Rooms
self-catering cottageFettercairn
19.1km away
The Gardeners Bothy
self-catering cottageFettercairn
19.2km away
Gardeners Cottage
self-catering cottageFettercairn
19.3km away

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Cafés, restaurants & bars near Montrose Castle

Links Hotel
hotel, restaurant, café, barMontrose
0.4km away
19th Hole Hotel
hotel, bar, restaurantCarnoustie
27.7km away
Carnoustie Golf Hotel and Spa
hotel, restaurant, barCarnoustie
28.0km away
Kinnettles Castle
hotel, barForfar
30.5km away
Premier Inn Dundee (Monifieth)
hotel, restaurantMonifieth
32.9km away
Premier Inn Dundee East
hotel, restaurantBroughty Ferry
34.4km away
Best Western Woodlands Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barBroughty Ferry
35.2km away
Best Western Burnett Arms Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barBanchory
38.1km away
Apex City Quay Hotel & Spa
hotel, bar, restaurantDundee
41.0km away
Papa Joe's Dundee
restaurantDundee
41.4km away
more food.... / more drink....

Related pages

Dirleton Castle in East Lothian
Dirleton Castle in East Lothian
Garden of Cosmic Speculation plus castles
Garden of Cosmic Speculation plus castles
Inveraray Castle and standing stone
Inveraray Castle and standing stone
A doocot, a castle and a beach in East Lothian
A doocot, a castle and a beach in East Lothian
A pair of castles on the River Tweed
A pair of castles on the River Tweed
Dunbar harbour and castle
Dunbar harbour and castle
Published on the 28th of April 2012 at 9:14 am. Updated on the 19th of July 2022 at 6:10 pm.

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About

Andy Sweet above Fast Castle

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