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Wester Kames Castle

Wester Kames Castle is a restored 16th century tower which is thought to have been built by the Spens family.

The lands of Wester Kames were originally owned by the MacKinlay family. In 1447 Finlay de Spens was Constable of Bute and at some point in the 15th century Wester Kames passed into the Spens family, and it is thought that they were responsible for building the castle, possibly around 1500.

In the 17th century Wester Kames passed by marriage to the Grahams and by the early 18th century it had become part of the neighbouring Kames estate. By the mid-18th century the tower was described as a ruin, and a century later the ruins only reached a height of 3.7m.

In 1863 the Kames estate was bought by the Trustees of John Crichton-Stuart, 3rd Marquess of Bute. The Marquess commissioned the Arts and Crafts architect Robert Weir Schultz to rebuild the castle. When Schultz surveyed the ruins in 1895 little more than the vaulted basement remained. Building work began in 1898 and was completed in 1900.

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Alternative names for Wester Kames Castle

Edinbeg Tower; House of Spens; Wester Kames Tower

Clans associated with Wester Kames Castle

Stuart of Bute

Surnames associated with Wester Kames Castle

Crichton

Graham

MacKinlay

Spence

Spens

Stuart

Stuart of Bute

Where is Wester Kames Castle?

Wester Kames Castle is in the parish of North Bute and the county of Bute.

Grid reference: NS 06169 68062

Lat / long: 55.8666395556704, -5.09925219621156

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

OS Map for Wester Kames Castle

OS map 362
Cowal West & Isle of Bute (Rothesay)
OS Explorer map 362


OS map OL37
Cowal East (Dunoon & Inveraray)
OS Explorer map OL37


Directions to Wester Kames Castle

Enter a starting point

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Weather at Wester Kames Castle

20°C
max 20°C / min 20°C
13km/h SSE
1024mb
65%
65%
03:34 21:09

Broken clouds
Weather observed at Port Bannatyne at 15:55

References (books)

The Castles of Scotland
Martin Coventry
Prestongrange, 2015
The Fortified House in Scotland - Volume V
Nigel Tranter
Edinburgh, 1970

References (websites)

Listed Building record
Canmore
Wikipedia
  • Ancestry UK

Castles near Wester Kames Castle

Kames Castle

0.5km away

Rothesay Castle

4.3km away

Toward Castle

5.7km away

Ascog House

6.6km away

Kilmory Castle

7.0km away

Ardlamont

8.4km away

Knockamillie Castle

9.5km away

Eilean Dearg Castle (site of)

10.5km away

Asgog Castle

11.7km away
more castles....
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Ancient sites near Wester Kames Castle

Kempock Stone standing stone

20.4km away

Auld Hill fort

22.2km away

Langbank West crannog

32.4km away

Auchrannie souterrain

32.6km away

Carman fort

33.0km away

Dunadd fort, rock art

34.0km away

Dumbarton Rock fort

34.4km away

Langbank East crannog

34.6km away

Dumbuck crannog

35.8km away
more ancient sites....
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Pictish stones near Wester Kames Castle

Dunadd Class I rock carving

34.0km away

Old Kilmadock 2 Class I symbol stone

73.1km away

Old Kilmadock 1 Class II cross slab

73.1km away

Hawkhill Class III cross-slab

87.5km away

Blackford Class I symbol stone

96.0km away

Fowlis Wester Class II cross-slab

103.4km away

Fowlis Wester Church Class III cross-slab

103.4km away

Bore Stone of Gask Class II cross slab

104.2km away

Tullibole Class III cross slab

104.6km away
more Pictish stones....
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Pictish sites near Wester Kames Castle

Whitecleugh silver chain

88.6km away

Todholes (possible) silver chain

99.7km away

Borland silver chain

101.8km away

Norrie's Law hoard

140.6km away

Whitlaw silver chain

144.4km away

Haddington silver chain

145.2km away

Traprain Law silver chain

152.1km away

Hoardweel silver chain

172.3km away

Torvean silver chain

185.2km away
more Pictish sites....
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Accommodation near Wester Kames Castle

Colintraive Hotel
hotelColintraive
6.2km away
Ascog House
self-cateringAscog
6.6km away
The Kames Hotel
hotelTighnabruaich
9.4km away
Tighnabruaich Hotel
hotelTighnabruaich
9.5km away
Royal An Lochan Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barTighnabruaich
9.6km away
Tregortha Guest House
hotelTighnabruaich
9.7km away
Abbots Brae Hotel
hotelDunoon
13.0km away
Esplanade Hotel
hotelDunoon
13.8km away
Selborne Hotel
hotelDunoon
13.8km away
Best Western Argyll Hotel
hotel, restaurantDunoon
14.2km away

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Cafés, restaurants & bars near Wester Kames Castle

Royal An Lochan Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barTighnabruaich
9.6km away
Best Western Argyll Hotel
hotel, restaurantDunoon
14.2km away
Premier Inn Greenock
hotel, restaurantGreenock
24.6km away
Ardencaple Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barRhu
26.5km away
Allt-Na-Craig House
hotel, restaurantArdrishaig
27.0km away
Ardardan Tearoom
caféCardross
28.7km away
Best Western Gleddoch House Hotel & Leisure Club
hotel, restaurant, barLangbank
32.6km away
Bowfield Hotel & Country Club
hotel, restaurant, barHowwood
34.0km away
Cameron House on Loch Lomond
hotel, restaurant, barArden
34.7km away
Premier Inn Dumbarton / Loch Lomond
hotel, restaurant, barDumbarton
35.1km away
more food.... / more drink....

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Dunbar harbour and castle
Published on the 19th of October 2011 at 12:54 am. Updated on the 24th of April 2024 at 10:58 am.

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Andy Sweet above Fast Castle

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