Archaeology InSites
Age of Kings
Explore the Age of kings, of queens and of their castles. From the Mote of Urr, Motte-and-Bailey Castle in the south, to the ruins of Castle Sinclair Girnigoe in the north, we explore some of the less well-known castles of Scotland, and the stories that made them.
The Mote of Urr, Motte-and-Bailey Castle – Dumfries and Galloway
The Mote of Urr is the earthwork remains of a 12th century timber castle known as a motte-and-bailey. It lies 4km north of Dalbeatie in the valley of the Urr Water, and standing on the edge of an old river cliff dominating the haughland of the river it is a very visible feature in the landscape. The river now flows along the east side of the castle, but when it was built it almost certainly flowed along its west side. We know this because the parish boundary follows the course of the Urr Water, preserving its line when the boundary was settled, possibly around the time the castle was built.
