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Mains Castle


Mains Castle is a 16th century castle on the outskirts of Dundee that was built on the site of an earlier castle.

The land on which the castle was built originally belonged to the Stewarts but passed to the Douglas Earls of Angus in the 14th century and it was they who built the original castle. In the 16th century the castle became the property of the Graham family who named it Fintry Castle or Mains of Fintry Castle after their Fintry Castle in Stirlingshire.

In 1562 David Graham rebuilt it with a tall stair tower on the north side of a courtyard made up of lower ranges. The tower was extended further in 1630 with the addition of corbelled-out caphouse.

In the mid-18th century the Grahams abandoned the castle in favour of Linlathen House but continued to own it until they sold it to David Erskine in the 19th century. By 1913 the castle was in ruins when the estate was bought by Sir James Caird and gifted to the then Dundee Corporation, the estate becoming Caird Park.

The castle was restored in the 1980s by Dundee District Council and is now owned by Dundee City Council but leased as a venue for weddings.

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Alternative names for Mains Castle

Castle of Mains; Claverhouse Castle; Fintrie; Fintry Castle; Fyntrie; Mains of Fintry

Where is Mains Castle?

Mains Castle is in the parish of Dundee and the county of Angus.

Grid reference:NO 41092 33018

Lat / long:56.4855610,-2.9581446

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

OS Map for Mains Castle

OS map 380
Dundee & Sidlaw Hills
OS Explorer map 380


Directions to Mains Castle

Enter a starting point

Weather at Mains Castle

6°C
max 7°C / min 6°C
24km/h ENE
1014mb
81%
75%
05:42 18:48

Broken clouds
Weather observed at Dundee at 13:36

References (books)

The Castellated and Domestic Architecture of Scotland Volume 2
David MacGibbon
Edinburgh, 1887
The Castles of Scotland
Martin Coventry
Prestongrange, 2015
The Fortified House in Scotland - Volume IV
Nigel Tranter
Edinburgh, 1966

References (websites)

Listed Building record
Canmore
Wikipedia
Mains Castle

Castles near Mains Castle

Claverhouse Castle (site of)

1.1km away

Old Powrie Castle

1.9km away

Powrie Castle

1.9km away

Dundee Castle (site of)

2.8km away

Dudhope Castle

2.9km away

Wedderburn Castle (site of)

3.3km away

Blackness Manor House (site of)

3.7km away

Ballumbie Castle

3.8km away

Pitkerro House

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

Craig Hill broch and fort

3.5km away

Balgay Hill rock art

4.1km away

Balgarthno stone circle

5.9km away

Balkemback stone circle

6.1km away

Balkello standing stone

7.1km away

Star Inn Farm cursus

7.2km away

Loch of Liff cursus

7.7km away

Hurly Hawkin broch, fort and souterrain

7.9km away

Laws Hill broch and fort

8.3km away
more ancient sites....

Pictish stones near Mains Castle

Strathmartine 2 Class III recumbent stone

3.9km away

Strathmartine 1 Class I symbol stone

4.8km away

Tealing Church Class II cross slab

5.0km away

St Martin's Stone Class II cross-slab

5.8km away

Bullion Class I symbol stone

7.1km away

Benvie Class III cross slab

8.4km away

Creich Class I symbol stones

15.1km away

High Keillor Class I symbol stone

15.2km away

Lindores Stone Class I symbol stone

22.5km away
more Pictish stones....
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Pictish sites near Mains Castle

Norrie's Law hoard

25.7km away

Haddington silver chain

60.3km away

Traprain Law silver chain

60.6km away

Dunnicaer fort

70.0km away

Hoardweel silver chain

82.0km away

Whitlaw silver chain

85.5km away

Nigg silver chain

87.8km away

Borland silver chain

93.4km away

Todholes (possible) silver chain

94.8km away
more Pictish sites....
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Accommodation near Mains Castle

Craigtay Hotel
hotelDundee
2.2km away
Dundee Carlton Hotel
hotelDundee
2.3km away
Apex City Quay Hotel & Spa
hotel, bar, restaurantDundee
2.8km away
Dundee Backpackers Hostel
hostelDundee
2.8km away
Holiday Inn Express Dundee
hotelDundee
2.8km away
Travelodge Dundee Central
hotelDundee
3.0km away
Premier Inn Dundee Centre
hotel, restaurantDundee
3.2km away
Number Twenty Five
hotel, restaurant, barDundee
3.2km away
Best Western Queens Hotel, Dundee
hotel, restaurant, barDundee
3.4km away
West Park
hotelDundee
4.0km away

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Cafés, restaurants & bars near Mains Castle

Apex City Quay Hotel & Spa
hotel, bar, restaurantDundee
2.8km away
Papa Joe's Dundee
restaurantDundee
3.0km away
Duke's Corner
barDundee
3.1km away
Premier Inn Dundee Centre
hotel, restaurantDundee
3.2km away
Number Twenty Five
hotel, restaurant, barDundee
3.2km away
The Phoenix
pubDundee
3.2km away
Jute Café Bar
café, bar, restaurantDundee
3.3km away
Best Western Queens Hotel, Dundee
hotel, restaurant, barDundee
3.4km away
Artbar
barDundee
3.6km away
Spice in the City
restaurantDundee
3.6km 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 25th of July 2021 at 10:20 am.

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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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