Following the launch of trove.scot in February 2025 we are now planning the retiral of some of our webservices. Canmore will be switched off on 24th June 2025. Information about the closure can be found on the HES website: Retiral of HES web services | Historic Environment Scotland
Scotland's Castles
02/07/2021
As HES 'Restarts History' and opens its doors again this summer, we invite you to view this gallery of Scottish strongholds from our archive. Just click on an image and follow the hyperlinks to find out more about a site.
We've included some images from our Aerial Survey & Recording team, as well as more detailed images from a range of castle structures. Take a look and see if you can identify which castles were built for defence, and which images portray stately homes or follies that were built in fanciful castle-like styles.
As the castellans of some of Scotland's most beloved icons, we hope you will explore both our properties-in-care, and more of our archival images available on Canmore.
SC 370917
1718 Engraving by John Slezer of St Andrews Castle. Copied from 'Theatrum Scotiae'. Inscribed 'Rudera Arcis Sancti Andreae. The Ruins of the Castle of St. Andrews. This plate following Prospect of the City of St. Andrews is most humbly inscribed to the Right Hon. John Earl of Rothess and Lord Vice Admiral of Britain and Govenour of Stirling Castle.'
© RCAHMS
SC 684607
Sutherland, Dunrobin Castle. South elevation.
© Crown Copyright: HES (Scottish National Buildings Record)
SC 1065241
Skye, Dunvegan Castle. General view from North East.
© Courtesy of HES (Ian G Lindsay Collection)
DP 035164
Blair Atholl, Blair Castle. Copy of perspective by architect David Bryce. View of front entrance.
© RCAHMS
DP 048273
Argyll and Bute, Coll. Breachacha House and Castle from beach to south east.
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1140953
Midlothian, Crichton Castle. Photographic copy of engraving showing view of courtyard.
© RCAHMS
SC 1143196
Engraving showing view of castle. Titled: 'Inside of Bothwell Castle'. 'Published as the Act directs, by G Kearsly in Fleet Street Dec 1 1778'.
© RCAHMS
SC 1151666
Copy of photograph in Photograph Album 132. General view from the NW. Titled: 'Cawdor Castle, near Nairn'
DP 069276
Skye, Dunvegan Castle. Publication drawing; plans of basement and first floor.
© Crown Copyright: HES
DP 070654
Dumfries And Galloway, Oblique aerial view of Threave Castle, taken from the NW.
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1165995
Aberdeenshire, Tolquhon Castle. Scan from a glass plate. View of entrance gateway from NW.
© RCAHMS
SC 1166357
Perth And Kinross, Elcho Castle. Scan from a glass plate. General view from South-East.
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1167129
Moray, Balvenie Castle. Scan from a glass plate. View of E range from NW.
© Crown Copyright: HES
DP 075439
General oblique aerial view centred on Blackness Castle, taken from the ENE.
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1168304
Dumfries And Galloway, Caerlaverock Castle. Scan from a glass plate. Detail of East Range showing entrance doorway and ground floor windows at North East angle of courtyard.
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1196337
Dumfries And Galloway, Caerlaverock Castle. Scan from a glass plate. View of gateway from North.
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1200573
Aberdeenshire, Glenbuchat Castle. Scan from glass plate. View from SE.
© Courtesy of HES (Francis M Chrystal Collection)
SC 1206285
East Lothian, Dirleton Castle. View of SW tower and bridge from SW.
© Crown Copyright: HES
DP 091627
Aberdeenshire, Dunnottar Castle. Oblique aerial view looking to the W.
© Crown Copyright: HES
DP 096969
Engraving of Linlithgow Palace from the shore. Titled 'Linlithgow. London, July 1832, by Chapman & Hall, 186 Strand. Waverley. Drawn by G. F. Robson. Engraved by E. Finden.'
© Courtesy of HES (Illustration in Views in Scotland)
DP 098382
Grantown-on-Spey, Lochindorb Castle. Oblique aerial view taken from the WSW.
© Crown Copyright: HES
DP 108249
Dumfries and Galloway. Oblique aerial view of Caerlaverock Castle, taken from the SW.
© Crown Copyright: HES
DP 108468
Moray, Auchindoun Castle. Titled: 'Same' (refers to previous page Photograph Album 7/7v). View of Auchindownie Castle from NW.
DP 108512
Argyll And Bute, Castle Sween. Oblique aerial view taken from the NE.
© Crown Copyright: HES
DP 157051
View of the late medieval Fincharn Castle with three boating men in the foreground, situated on the promontory near the south end of Loch Awe with the view of its eastern shore in the foreground, Lochawe, Kilmichael Glassary. Vignetted Image. Titled: '165. Fincharn Castle, Lochawe.' PHOTOGRAPH ALBUM NO 186: J B MACKENZIE ALBUMS vol.1
© Courtesy of HES (Photographs by Rev James Bannatyne Mackenzie)
DP 159886
Dumfries And Galloway, Buittle Castle. Oblique aerial view of motte, looking to the S.
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1349190
Two pencil drawings of Udny Castle, Aberdeenshire. Detail taken from drawing of buildings in the parish of Udny.
DP 204646
Scottish Borders, Greenknowe Tower. Drawing, view from East.
© Courtesy of HES (Society of Antiquaries of Scotland Collection)
SC 1518267
View of Balfluig Castle from south east.
© Crown Copyright: HES (Scottish National Buildings Record)
DP 236737
Scottish Borders, Innerleithen. Copy of photograph from PA 184. View of front of Traquair House.
© Courtesy of HES (Poulton's Series)
SC 1551059
Argyll And Bute, Kilchurn Castle. Oblique aerial view.
© Copyright: HES (John Dewar Collection)
SC 1843018
Castle of Mey. Elevation of entrance front showing proposed alterations and additions by architect William Burn. Inscribed '76 George Street May 28 1819'. Pencil, ink, colour wash on paper.
© Courtesy of HES (Records of Sinclair Macdonald and Son, architects, Wick, Highland, Scotland)
DP 312442
Drawing of Ravensheugh Castle inscribed '[...] Ravensheugh Castle, the point of sight for the drawing on the other side of this paper, AN, Fifeshire'.
© Courtesy of HES (Alexander Nasmyth)
SC 2015941
Balvaid Castle, general view. Photograph taken for use in Historic Environment Scotland guidebooks.
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2020689
Kilchurn Castle, general View. Photograph taken for 'Castles of Argyll' book.
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 370917
1718 Engraving by John Slezer of St Andrews Castle. Copied from 'Theatrum Scotiae'. Inscribed 'Rudera Arcis Sancti Andreae. The Ruins of the Castle of St. Andrews. This plate following Prospect of the City of St. Andrews is most humbly inscribed to the Right Hon. John Earl of Rothess and Lord Vice Admiral of Britain and Govenour of Stirling Castle.'
© RCAHMS
SC 549291
Flichity House. View from East showing North-East and South-East fronts.
© Copyright: HES (Reproduced courtesy of J R Hume)
SC 684607
Sutherland, Dunrobin Castle. South elevation.
© Crown Copyright: HES (Scottish National Buildings Record)
SC 710980
View of Earl's Palace, Kirkwall. Engraving from 'The Baronial and Ecclesiastical Antiquities of Scotland', R. W. Billing, 1901.
© RCAHMS
SC 758766
Moray, Darnaway Castle. Interior, detail of carved soffit of hammerbeam end of truss 4.
© RCAHMS
SC 798233
South Lanarkshire, Bothwell Castle. Oblique aerial view.
© Copyright: HES (John Dewar Collection)
DP 005225
Aberdeenshire, Huntly Castle, North-East Entrance. Detail of carved heraldic panels.
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1065241
Skye, Dunvegan Castle. General view from North East.
© Courtesy of HES (Ian G Lindsay Collection)
DP 035164
Blair Atholl, Blair Castle. Copy of perspective by architect David Bryce. View of front entrance.
© RCAHMS
DP 048273
Argyll and Bute, Coll. Breachacha House and Castle from beach to south east.
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1140953
Midlothian, Crichton Castle. Photographic copy of engraving showing view of courtyard.
© RCAHMS
SC 1143196
Engraving showing view of castle. Titled: 'Inside of Bothwell Castle'. 'Published as the Act directs, by G Kearsly in Fleet Street Dec 1 1778'.
© RCAHMS
SC 1151666
Copy of photograph in Photograph Album 132. General view from the NW. Titled: 'Cawdor Castle, near Nairn'
DP 069276
Skye, Dunvegan Castle. Publication drawing; plans of basement and first floor.
© Crown Copyright: HES
DP 070654
Dumfries And Galloway, Oblique aerial view of Threave Castle, taken from the NW.
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1165995
Aberdeenshire, Tolquhon Castle. Scan from a glass plate. View of entrance gateway from NW.
© RCAHMS
SC 1166357
Perth And Kinross, Elcho Castle. Scan from a glass plate. General view from South-East.
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1167129
Moray, Balvenie Castle. Scan from a glass plate. View of E range from NW.
© Crown Copyright: HES
DP 075439
General oblique aerial view centred on Blackness Castle, taken from the ENE.
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1168304
Dumfries And Galloway, Caerlaverock Castle. Scan from a glass plate. Detail of East Range showing entrance doorway and ground floor windows at North East angle of courtyard.
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1196337
Dumfries And Galloway, Caerlaverock Castle. Scan from a glass plate. View of gateway from North.
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1200573
Aberdeenshire, Glenbuchat Castle. Scan from glass plate. View from SE.
© Courtesy of HES (Francis M Chrystal Collection)
SC 1206285
East Lothian, Dirleton Castle. View of SW tower and bridge from SW.
© Crown Copyright: HES
DP 091627
Aberdeenshire, Dunnottar Castle. Oblique aerial view looking to the W.
© Crown Copyright: HES
DP 096969
Engraving of Linlithgow Palace from the shore. Titled 'Linlithgow. London, July 1832, by Chapman & Hall, 186 Strand. Waverley. Drawn by G. F. Robson. Engraved by E. Finden.'
© Courtesy of HES (Illustration in Views in Scotland)
DP 098382
Grantown-on-Spey, Lochindorb Castle. Oblique aerial view taken from the WSW.
© Crown Copyright: HES
DP 108249
Dumfries and Galloway. Oblique aerial view of Caerlaverock Castle, taken from the SW.
© Crown Copyright: HES
DP 108468
Moray, Auchindoun Castle. Titled: 'Same' (refers to previous page Photograph Album 7/7v). View of Auchindownie Castle from NW.
DP 108512
Argyll And Bute, Castle Sween. Oblique aerial view taken from the NE.
© Crown Copyright: HES
DP 137749
Fort William, Inverlochy Castle. Perspective of Castle from north west, inscr; 'Inverlochy Castle.' Signed M Bouquet.
DP 148796
View of Linlithgow Palace, South Front, from south west
© Courtesy of HES (J Valentine and Sons)
DP 157051
View of the late medieval Fincharn Castle with three boating men in the foreground, situated on the promontory near the south end of Loch Awe with the view of its eastern shore in the foreground, Lochawe, Kilmichael Glassary. Vignetted Image. Titled: '165. Fincharn Castle, Lochawe.' PHOTOGRAPH ALBUM NO 186: J B MACKENZIE ALBUMS vol.1
© Courtesy of HES (Photographs by Rev James Bannatyne Mackenzie)
DP 159886
Dumfries And Galloway, Buittle Castle. Oblique aerial view of motte, looking to the S.
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 1349190
Two pencil drawings of Udny Castle, Aberdeenshire. Detail taken from drawing of buildings in the parish of Udny.
DP 204646
Scottish Borders, Greenknowe Tower. Drawing, view from East.
© Courtesy of HES (Society of Antiquaries of Scotland Collection)
SC 1518267
View of Balfluig Castle from south east.
© Crown Copyright: HES (Scottish National Buildings Record)
DP 236737
Scottish Borders, Innerleithen. Copy of photograph from PA 184. View of front of Traquair House.
© Courtesy of HES (Poulton's Series)
SC 1551059
Argyll And Bute, Kilchurn Castle. Oblique aerial view.
© Copyright: HES (John Dewar Collection)
SC 1843018
Castle of Mey. Elevation of entrance front showing proposed alterations and additions by architect William Burn. Inscribed '76 George Street May 28 1819'. Pencil, ink, colour wash on paper.
© Courtesy of HES (Records of Sinclair Macdonald and Son, architects, Wick, Highland, Scotland)
DP 312442
Drawing of Ravensheugh Castle inscribed '[...] Ravensheugh Castle, the point of sight for the drawing on the other side of this paper, AN, Fifeshire'.
© Courtesy of HES (Alexander Nasmyth)
SC 2015941
Balvaid Castle, general view. Photograph taken for use in Historic Environment Scotland guidebooks.
© Crown Copyright: HES
SC 2020689
Kilchurn Castle, general View. Photograph taken for 'Castles of Argyll' book.
© Crown Copyright: HES
