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Inch Garvie Castle

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Castle (Medieval)

Site Name Inch Garvie Castle

Classification Castle (Medieval)

Alternative Name(s) Inchgarvey; Inchgarvie Island; Inch Garvie; Firth Of Forth

Canmore ID 50470

Site Number NT17NW 10

NGR NT 1368 7951

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/50470

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
Canmore Disclaimer. © Bluesky International Limited 2025. Public Sector Viewing Terms

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Digital Images

Oblique aerial view centred on the bridge pier, looking NW.
Oblique aerial view centred on the bridge pier, looking NW.Oblique aerial view of one of the spans of the Forth Rail Bridge with Inch Garvie in the foreground, looking WSW.Oblique aerial view of The Forth Bridge and Inch Garvie centred on the rail bridge and the remains of a castle, battery, coast battery and artillery fortifications, taken from the WSW.Oblique aerial view of The Forth Bridge and Inch Garvie centred on the rail bridge and the remains of a castle, battery, coast battery and artillery fortifications, taken from the ESE.Oblique aerial view of The Forth Bridge and Inch Garvie centred on the rail bridge and the remains of a castle, battery, coast battery and artillery fortifications, taken from the ENE.View of Inch Garvie from North Queensferry Alexander ArcherOblique aerial view of the Forth Railway Bridge and Inch Garvie island, looking to the SE.Engraving of Inch Garvie & Castle from S. Queensferry. Titled 'Inch Garvey &c from Queensferry, for the Scots Mag. and Edinr. Misy. Pubd. by A. Constable & Co. 1 April, 1813. H.W.Williams Delt. R. Scott, Sculpt.'Oblique aerial view of The Forth Bridge and Inch Garvie centred on the rail bridge and the remains of a castle, battery, coast battery and artillery fortifications, taken from the NE.Oblique aerial view centred on Inchgarvie, taken from the SW.Oblique aerial view centred on the W end of Inchgarvie, taken from the S.Oblique aerial view of the Forth Railway Bridge and Inch Garvie island, looking to the SSE.Forth Rail Bridge, Firth of Forth. Oblique aerial photograph taken facing north. This image has been produced from a print.Inch Garvie Castle, NT17NW 10, Ordnance Survey index card, page number 1, RectoOblique aerial view of The Forth Bridge and Inch Garvie centred on the rail bridge and the remains of a castle, battery, coast battery and artillery fortifications, taken from the SSE.Oblique aerial view of The Forth Bridge and Inch Garvie centred on the rail bridge and the remains of a castle, battery, coast battery and artillery fortifications, taken in 1998.Oblique aerial view centred on the E end of Inchgarvie, taken from the S.Oblique aerial view of The Forth Bridge and Inch Garvie centred on the rail bridge and the remains of a castle, battery, coast battery and artillery fortifications, taken from the SW.Oblique aerial view of The Forth Bridge and Inch Garvie centred on the rail bridge and the remains of a castle, battery, coast battery and artillery fortifications, taken from the SE.Oblique aerial view of The Forth Bridge and Inch Garvie centred on the rail bridge and the remains of a castle, battery, coast battery and artillery fortifications, taken from the SE.Oblique aerial view of the Forth Railway Bridge and Inch Garvie island, looking to the WSW.Oblique aerial view of The Forth Bridge and Inch Garvie centred on the rail bridge and the remains of a castle, battery, coast battery and artillery fortifications, taken from the E.Oblique aerial view of one of the spans of the Forth Rail Bridge with Inch Garvie in the foreground, looking WSW.Inch Garvie Castle, NT17NW 10, Ordnance Survey index card, RectoScanned image of oblique aerial view of The Forth Bridge and Inch Garvie centred on the rail bridge and the remains of a castle, battery, coast battery and artillery fortifications, taken from the SSE.Oblique aerial view centred on Inchgarvie, taken from the SSW.Oblique aerial view of The Forth Bridge and Inch Garvie centred on the rail bridge and the remains of a castle, battery, coast battery and artillery fortifications, taken from the SSE.Oblique aerial view of The Forth Bridge and Inch Garvie centred on the rail bridge and the remains of a castle, battery, coast battery and artillery fortifications, taken from the ENE.Inch Garvie Castle, NT17NW 10, Ordnance Survey index card, page number 2, VersoOblique aerial view centred on Inchgarvie, taken from the ESE.Oblique aerial view of The Forth Bridge and Inch Garvie centred on the rail bridge and the remains of a castle, battery, coast battery and artillery fortifications, taken from the SSE.Oblique aerial view of The Forth Bridge and Inch Garvie centred on the rail bridge and the remains of a castle, battery, coast battery and artillery fortifications, taken from the ENE.Oblique aerial view of The Forth Bridge and Inch Garvie centred on the rail bridge and the remains of a castle, battery, coast battery and artillery fortifications, taken from the NW.

Administrative Areas

  • Council Edinburgh, City Of
  • Parish Dalmeny
  • Former Region Lothian
  • Former District City Of Edinburgh
  • Former County West Lothian

Archaeology Notes

NT17NW 10 1368 7951

(NT 1368 7951) Castle (NR)

(Ruins of)

OS 6" map (1948).

Fort (NR) (rems of)

OS 6" map (1968).

See also NT17NW 9 and NT17NW 13.

The island of Inchgarvie was granted to John Dundas in 1491 by James IV with power to build a fort upon it. He did not do this, and James IV himself ordered a strong tower to be built in 1513.

R Sibbald 1803; New Statsitical Account (NSA) 1845.

This castle is understood to have been erected in the reign of James IV and to have been subsequently used as a state prison, being fortified at that time. It was repaired and mounted with cannon during the late (? Napoleonic) war. The buildings and battery (NT17NW 13) are now ruinous.

Name Book 1854

The castle was occupied by Royalist troops during Cromwell's campaign in 1650-1.

(For further details, see NT17NW 9).

W S Douglas 1898

The remains of this castle are incorporated in modern defensive works of concrete. The remains are those of the E side of the castle and several small narrow embrasures and a filled-in arched doorway are visible.

Visited by OS (JD) 12 March 1955.

Scheduled (with NT17NW 9 and NT17NW 13) as Inch Garvie, Firth of Forth, defensive installations.

Information from Historic Scotland, scheduling document dated 19 August 1996.

A fort was built on the island in 1513 by James IV. It was subsequently used as a state prison until the purchase of the Bass Rock in 1671 (Dickson 1899, ). During the Civil wars it was occupied by Royalist troops. It was repaired and mounted with canon in the Napoleonic war. By 1854 (Name Book) the fortifications were described as ruinous. These remains were incorporated into the modern defensive works of the 2WW. The anti-aircraft battery can be seen on the 1947 aerial photographs. B136 4010-11 22/6/47.

Site recorded by GUARD during the Coastal Assessment Survey for Historic Scotland, 'The Firth of Forth from Dunbar to the Coast of Fife' 1996.

Further Details

Architecture Notes

REFERENCE

'Dundas of Dundas' Ed. A MacLeod, 1897 - 1 photograph

Further Details

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