Invergowrie Castle
Castle (Medieval)
Site Name Invergowrie Castle
Classification Castle (Medieval)
Canmore ID 31976
Site Number NO33SE 7
NGR NO 3630 3095
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/31976
- Council Dundee, City Of
- Parish Dundee (Dundee, City Of)
- Former Region Tayside
- Former District City Of Dundee
- Former County Angus
NO33SE 7 3630 3095
(Name: NO 3630 3095) Supposed Site of Castle (NR)
OS 6" map, Forfarshire, 2nd ed., (1926)
Invergowrie Castle, the alleged residence of King Alexander I, was located c. 650 yards N of Invergowrie House. About 1850, its foundations, studded with huge stones, appeared ablong in form, measuring 190' by 100' with a 20' diameter round tower at each corner. At some depth in front of the S side of this building, traces of a paved court were found with a large built cavity in the centre. evidently a well. Crawford equates this site with the alleged Roman camp of Catermillie (Catermilly), but see NO33SE 46.
J Stuart 1865; Information from excerpt of minute of RCAHMS meeting held in Dundee, 1910; A Elliott 1911; O G S Crawford 1949.
The site of this castle is on a raised rectangular area with rounded angles, measuring 57 x 32.0m, 1.2m high on the S and decreasing towards the N - possibly built up from the debris of the castle and planted. Within this is a sunken area measuring 34.0 by 10.0m with the suggestion of four angle towers as described by Stuart and Elliott.
Along the N side of this sunken area are indications of a wall, but the whole site has been quarried and used as a dump for field stones, rendering it difficult to form any plan. The allegations that this was the Roman camp of Catermilly can be readily dismissed.
Visited by OS (J L D) 18 August 1958.
