Carsluith Castle

Anyone driving along the A75 on the way to or from Stranraer will see Carsluith Castle as they pass along the eastern side of Wigtown Bay, between Gatehouse of Fleet and Newton Stewart.

This is a good example of the fortified tower houses that are common throughout Galloway. Not castles in the usual sense, such as the great fortifications surrounded by walls, moats, ditches and other defensive words, these were the homes of prominent local families. These tower houses were very popular in times when raiders had to be kept at bay and where the family could retreat when its own depredations on the neighbours brought retaliatory attacks. Fighting with each other was the prime occupation of the gangster families that lived in the area. Building tower houses was particularly popular during the reign of Scotland's King James VI (1567-1625).

Carsluith Castle was built for the Brown family in the 1560s and is laid out to a standard pattern. The storage cellars are on the ground floor, the great hall with its large fireplace was on the first floor, and the family rooms were on the upper floors. Lookouts were posted on the roof to keep an eye on the surrounding countryside and waters. Life was communal in those days, with the large family, visitors and servants all finding places to sleep wherever they could and only the family head would have enjoyed a private room.

At Carsluith it is likely that the kitchen that prepared meals for big dinners woujld have been in the collection of buildings around the tower. Smaller family meals would have been cooked over the open fire in the great hall. An unusual feature of Carsluith is that it had a second-floor balcony that allowed arriving visitors to be viewed from above. The corbel stones which supported this can still be seen.

The Brown family is said to have emigrated to India in 1748 and it would be interesting to know what became of them. Did they share in the fabulous wealth of the East India Company or did they vanish from history? It appears that the castle was not lived in after their departure.

Today Carsluith Castle is open during the day and the tower is well cared for. The Marrbury Smoke house is also located there, producing delicious gourmet delights from local ingredients. Call 01671 820 476 to find out opening times.

c.www.scotlandssecretsouth.blogspot.com. Phillip Bruce.