Blackness Castle View from North East of mid-tower Digital image of WL 609

Description Blackness Castle View from North East of mid-tower Digital image of WL 609

Date c. 1950

Collection Photographs by H D Wyllie, photographer, Edinburgh, Scotland

Catalogue Number SC 798221

Category On-line Digital Images

Copy of WL 609

Scope and Content Blackness Castle, Falkirk, from north-east This view from the north-east, taken in about 1950 from the west wall, shows the central tower of the castle on the right, with part of the east wall on the left. In the background is the back of the south tower. Note the thickness of the east wall, strengthened to resist artillery bombardment in the 16th century. The artillery fort was designed by Sir James Hamilton of Finnart, who was aware of similar developments on the continent. Blackness Castle relied on the strength of the mass of masonry in the walls, and was soon outmoded. It was badly damaged during a siege by Oliver Cromwell in 1650. The first part of Blackness Castle was a tower built in the 15th century, and used as a state prison until 1707. Around the tower a massive artillery fortification was built from 1537 to 1543. It was converted into an ammunition depot in 1870-4, and became an ancient monument after World War I. Source: RCAHMS contribution to SCRAN.

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/collection/798221

File Format (TIF) Tagged Image File Format bitmap