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Comyn's Castle

Comyn’s Castle is an interesting site, being a motte which deviates from the normal style. It consists of a D-shaped mound protected by double ditches.

The inner ditch is around 1.5m deep, while the outer ditch is around 2.0m to 3.0m deep. They protect the north and east side of the site, with the south and west site defended by naturally-sloping ground.

The unusual form of the motte suggests its origins may pre-date the 11th century date when a Norman castle is likely to have been established. The lands of Kilbride were originally owned by the Norman de Valognes family, Roger de Valognes receiving the barony of Kilbride around 1186. Around 1200 Alan fitz Walter gave the lands of Kilbride to Robert Croc, lord of Crookston, and his heirs in exchange for the 100 shilling land that Alan owed to Robert. This may have been a temporary arrangement however as 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. Following David’s death in 1247 the property passed to his son, William, and upon William’s death in 1283 to his eldest son, John. John died without an heir in 1290 and the castle passed to his brother, Edmund.

Sir Edmund Comyn of Kilbride fought at the Battle of Dunbar in 1296 alongside his cousins, John Comyn, 3rd Earl of Buchan, and John Comyn, Lord of Badenoch, but was captured and imprisoned by Edward I at Nottingham Castle until 1297. Upon his release he fought for Edward in Flanders but later returned to Scotland where he fought at the Battle of Roslin and then invaded England with Sir Simon Fraser of Oliver and Neidpath in 1303.

John Comyn, Lord of Badenoch, was a claimant to the vacant Scottish throne when his rival, Robert the Bruce, killed him in 1306. When Bruce ascended to the throne he set about confiscating the lands held by the Comyns and Edmund was stripped of his Scottish estates and titles. He would later die fighting on the English side at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314.

Bruce gave the confiscated Comyn lands of Kilbride 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.

Archaeological investigations suggest that the castle was destroyed in either the late 14th or early 15th century. This ties in with when the Lindsay family took over the estates, and may suggest that they started work on a new building at nearby Mains Castle around this time, robbing stone from Comyn’s Castle.

Only the mound and parts of the ditches are now visible, the north side of the outer ditch having been filled in.

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Alternative names for Comyn's Castle

Kilbrid; Laigh Mains; Laigh Mains Motte; Motte of Kilbride

Surnames associated with Comyn's Castle

Comyn

Lindsay

Stewart

Where is Comyn's Castle?

Comyn's Castle is in the parish of East Kilbride and the county of Lanarkshire.

Grid reference: NS 6277 5615

Lat / long: 55.779183, -4.189493

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OS Map for Comyn's Castle

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


Directions to Comyn's Castle

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Weather at Comyn's Castle

14°C
max 14°C / min 12°C
7km/h WSW
1026mb
79%
100%
03:31 21:04

Overcast clouds
Weather observed at East Kilbride at 21:00

References (books)

Anglo-Norman Castles
Robert Liddiard
Woodbridge, 2002
Power and Identity in the Middle Ages
Huw Pryce
Oxford, 2007
Robertson's Index of Charters
WIlliam Robertson
Edinburgh, 1629
The History of Rutherglen and East Kilbride
David Ure
Glasgow, 1793

References (websites)

Canmore

Castles near Comyn's Castle

Mains Castle

0.1km away

Castle Hill motte

2.1km away

Rough Hill motte

2.1km away

Carmunnock (site of)

2.2km away

Kirk Burn motte

2.5km away

The Peel

3.5km away

Calderwood Castle (site of)

3.6km away

Gilbertfield Castle

3.6km away

Lickprivick Castle

3.6km away
more castles....
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Ancient sites near Comyn's Castle

Gowkstone standing stone

9.7km away

Gleniffer Braes standing stones

17.9km away

Shirva (site of) souterrain

20.4km away

Craigmaddie Muir (possible) standing stones

20.6km away

Craigmaddie Muir cairn, standing stone

20.7km away

Law Stone of Mugdock (site of) standing stones

21.5km away

Broadgate Farm standing stone

23.9km away

Strathblane standing stone

24.1km away

Langbank crannog

25.4km away
more ancient sites....

Pictish stones near Comyn's Castle

Hawkhill Class III cross-slab

45.6km away

Old Kilmadock 2 Class I symbol stone

46.9km away

Old Kilmadock 1 Class II cross slab

46.9km away

Blackford Class I symbol stone

61.3km away

Tullibole Class III cross slab

61.8km 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

Bore Stone of Gask Class II cross slab

71.0km away
more Pictish stones....
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Pictish sites near Comyn's Castle

Whitecleugh silver chain

40.6km away

Todholes (possible) silver chain

42.2km away

Borland silver chain

44.3km away

Whitlaw silver chain

87.2km away

Haddington silver chain

90.3km away

Norrie's Law hoard

93.6km away

Traprain Law silver chain

97.3km away

Hoardweel silver chain

115.9km away

Dunnicaer fort

180.5km away
more Pictish sites....
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Accommodation near Comyn's Castle

The Torrance Hotel
hotel, bar, restaurantEast Kilbride
1.5km away
Premier Inn Glasgow East Kilbride (Nerston Toll)
hotel, restaurantEast Kilbride
1.8km away
Premier Inn Glasgow East Kilbride (Peel Park)
hotel, restaurantEast Kilbride
2.1km away
The Bruce Hotel, East Kilbride
hotelEast Kilbride
2.1km away
Holiday Inn Glasgow East Kilbride
hotel, bar, restaurantEast Kilbride
2.5km away
Premier Inn Glasgow East Kilbride Central
hotel, restaurantEast Kilbride
2.8km away
Crossbasket Castle
hotel, restaurantHigh Blantyre
3.9km away
The Burnside Hotel
hotelGlasgow
4.2km away
Dunard Guest House
bed and breakfastCambuslang
4.2km away
Kings Park Hotel
hotelGlasgow
4.8km away

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more accommodation....

Cafés, restaurants & bars near Comyn's Castle

The Torrance Hotel
hotel, bar, restaurantEast Kilbride
1.5km away
Premier Inn Glasgow East Kilbride (Nerston Toll)
hotel, restaurantEast Kilbride
1.8km away
Premier Inn Glasgow East Kilbride (Peel Park)
hotel, restaurantEast Kilbride
2.1km away
Holiday Inn Glasgow East Kilbride
hotel, bar, restaurantEast Kilbride
2.5km away
Premier Inn Glasgow East Kilbride Central
hotel, restaurantEast Kilbride
2.8km away
Crossbasket Castle
hotel, restaurantHigh Blantyre
3.9km away
Busby Hotel
hotel, bar, restaurantBusby
4.8km away
Macdonald Crutherland House
hotel, restaurant, barEast Kilbride
5.1km away
Premier Inn Glasgow (Cambuslang / M74, J2A)
hotel, restaurantGlasgow
6.5km away
Redhurst Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barGiffnock
6.7km away
more food.... / more drink....

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Dunbar harbour and castle
Published on the 24th of July 2010 at 12:06 am. Updated on the 1st of March 2021 at 5:00 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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