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Publication Account
Date 1987
Event ID 1016878
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type Publication Account
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1016878
Loch Leven Castle stands on a small island in Loch Leven. Originally the castle and its garden occupied almost the whole island, but the water-level was lowered between 1826 and 1836, increasing the area from about 0.7 hectares to 3.2 hectares. This increase in available land allowed the planting of the trees that now give the castle its romantic aspect The castle comprises a rectangular tower-house with a barmkin or courtyard containing the ruins or foundations of a number of buildings including the former great hall, kitchen, bakery and women's house.
The tower probably dates from the 14th century and, although roofless, is one of the best-preserved examples of an early Scottish tower-house. The building is rectangular in plan and measures 11.2 m by 9.7 m externally with walls up to 2.5 m thick at ground level. Although roofless by the end of the 17th century, the tower is structurally complete and, surprisingly for a building known to have been occupied for at least 250 years, it has not been modified to any significant degree and remains essentially a one-period structure. It contained five storeys and a garret and was entered at second-floor level, 5 m above ground level. The walls are in taken at a string course 5.5 m above ground level and carried out again over a row of evenly spaced single stone corbels at the parapet, 12.3 m from the ground.
The ground floor consists of one small chamber provided with loop-holes, for ventilation and defence, in its north and east walls. Access is through the barrel vault via a trap-door in the first floor. The vaulted chamber on the first floor with its large fireplace and salt-box is likely to have served as a kitchen. The first floor also contains a latrine, slop sink and wall cupboards. Access was by turnpike stair from the floor above. There was also a hatch through the vault above the fireplace.
The hall was situated on the second floor. Originally the entrance area was partitioned off by a wooden screen, and the sockets to take its timbers can still be seen above the door to the turnpike and in the opposite wall. The fireplace at the upper end of the hall in the west wall was reduced in size in the 17th century but was originally of similar size and detail to that surviving on the third floor. Above this level all the floors were of timber.
The third floor was the laird's hall and this was the chamber occupied by Mary, Queen of Scots, during her imprisonment. The conversion of the east window embrasure to serve as a small oratory or private chapel possibly dates from this period. On the floor above was another chamber surmounted by the cap-house or garret.
The barmkin wall dates from the later 14th and later 15th centuries and for the most part reflects the line of the earlier polygonal curtain wall of around 1300. The north wall is considerably thinner than the other sides and is probably later. Opposite the tower-house is the Glassin Tower, one of two such additions to the curtain wall. These were erected in the 16th century to provide protective fire along the face of the curtain wall.
During the First War of Independence the castle was held by the English. During this period it was possibly stormed by Sir William Wallace and was later visited by King Robert Bruce. In 1335 Loch Leven Castle was one of only five strongholds held for David II after the English overran Scotland. It was besieged by Sir John Stirling and an English force but was successfully defended by Alan Vipont. It remained a Royal Castle until 1390 when it was granted to the Douglas family who held it until the 17th century.
Mary, Queen of Scots, was held prisoner in the castle from June 1567 prior to her escape in the following year, her defeat at Langside and final imprisonment in England.
Sir William Bruce utilised the castle to terminate a formal vista from Kinross House which is planned on an axis from the castle to the tolbooth steeple at Kinross (see no. 37).
Information from ‘Exploring Scotland’s Heritage: Fife and Tayside’, (1987).
