The Castles of Scotland by Martin Coventry | Goblinshead | A comprehensive guide to 4,100 castles, towers, historic houses, stately homes and family lands
The Castles of Scotland by Martin Coventry | Goblinshead | A comprehensive guide to 4,100 castles, towers, historic houses, stately homes and family lands
The Castles of Scotland
The Castles of Scotland 

Crookston Castle

Crookston Castle is an unusually planned, tall and ruinous old tower in a quiet spot with fine views, held by the Stewarts of Lennox and once besieged by the great siege cannon Mons Meg, lying to the south of Glasgow in central Scotland.

Crookston Castle is an unusually planned, tall and ruinous old tower in a quiet spot with fine views, held by the Stewarts of Lennox and once besieged by the great siege cannon Mons Meg, lying to the south of Glasgow in central Scotland. Crookston Castle (© Gordon Mason)

Lanarkshire & Glasgow area: About 3 miles east of Paisley, on minor roads east of the A736, south bank of Levern Water, off Brockburn Road, in Crookston, at Crookston Castle.

 

HES   NS 525627   OS: 64   G53 5RY

 

OPEN: Open Apr-Sep, 9.30-17.30, Oct-Mar Sat-Wed 10.00-16.00; last entry 30 mins before closing. Owned by NTS; administered by HES.
Web: www.historicenvironment.scot

 

Checked 12/04/18

Crookston Castle is an unusually planned, tall and ruinous old tower in a quiet spot with fine views, held by the Stewarts of Lennox and once besieged by the great siege cannon Mons Meg, lying to the south of Glasgow in central Scotland. Crookston Castle (MacGibbon and Ross)
Plan, Crookston Castle is an unusually planned, tall and ruinous old tower in a quiet spot with fine views, held by the Stewarts of Lennox and once besieged by the great siege cannon Mons Meg, lying to the south of Glasgow in central Scotland. Crookston Castle: plan (MacGibbon and Ross)

Surrounded by a large ditch, Crookston Castle is an unusual ruined irregularly-shaped 13th-century tower. It formerly rose to at least three storeys, and was strengthened by towers, only one of which is fairly intact, at the corners, making it X-plan.

Plans and section, Crookston Castle is an unusually planned, tall and ruinous old tower in a quiet spot with fine views, held by the Stewarts of Lennox and once besieged by the great siege cannon Mons Meg, lying to the south of Glasgow in central Scotland Crookston Castle: plans and section (MacGibbon and Ross)
Vaulted hall, Crookston Castle is an unusually planned, tall and ruinous old tower in a quiet spot with fine views, held by the Stewarts of Lennox and once besieged by the great siege cannon Mons Meg, lying to the south of Glasgow in central Scotland. Crookston Castle: vaulted hall (MacGibbon and Ross)

The entrance was defended by two doors and a portcullis. The basement is barrel-vaulted, with splayed ribs, and the hall, on the first floor, is also vaulted and has a large fireplace and windows with stone seats. A turnpike stair, in one corner of the hall, leads to the chambers above and to the towers. One tower has a small stair leading to a guardroom and a pit-prison.

Crookston Castle is an unusually planned, tall and ruinous old tower in a quiet spot with fine views, held by the Stewarts of Lennox and once besieged by the great siege cannon Mons Meg, lying to the south of Glasgow in central Scotland. Crookston Castle (© Gordon Mason)
Crookston Castle is an unusually planned, tall and ruinous old tower in a quiet spot with fine views, held by the Stewarts of Lennox and once besieged by the great siege cannon Mons Meg, lying to the south of Glasgow in central Scotland. Crookston Castle (Shelley, 1900?)

‘Krukstoun’ is prominently marked on Pont’s map of Renfrew as a large tower, and is also on Blaeu.

Crookston Castle is an unusually planned, tall and ruinous old tower in a quiet spot with fine views, held by the Stewarts of Lennox and once besieged by the great siege cannon Mons Meg, lying to the south of Glasgow in central Scotland. Crooks ton Castle (Parkyns, 1807)

The lands belonged to Robert de Croc in the 12th century, passing by marriage in the 13th century to the Stewarts, and the present castle was built in the early 1400s, probably by Sir Alexander Stewart, who held Crookston from 1374 until 1406. During the rebellion of the Earl of Lennox in 1489, James IV bombarded the castle with the large cannon, Mons Meg (now to be seen on the battlements of Edinburgh Castle), leading to a quick surrender. The damage included the virtual destruction of two of the corner towers. The castle was seized in 1544 by the Regent Arran and Cardinal David Beaton while the Earl of Lennox was besieged in Glasgow Castle.

Crookston Castle is an unusually planned, tall and ruinous old tower in a quiet spot with fine views, held by the Stewarts of Lennox and once besieged by the great siege cannon Mons Meg, lying to the south of Glasgow in central Scotland. Crookston Castle by Laura Ferguson (© Martin Coventry)

Crookston was held by Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley, second husband of Mary, Queen of Scots. They may have been betrothed here, rather than at Wemyss Castle, or have stayed here after their marriage. The property then passed through many families, including the Graham Dukes of Montrose, who in 1757 sold it to the Maxwells of Pollok. At Pollok House is a hand-made model of Crookston Castle, carved from a branch of the Crookston Yew under which Mary, Queen of Scots, is said to have pledged her troth to Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley.

Crookston Yew of Crookston Castle is an unusually planned, tall and ruinous old tower in a quiet spot with fine views, held by the Stewarts of Lennox and once besieged by the great siege cannon Mons Meg, lying to the south of Glasgow in central Scotland. Crookston Castle: Crookston Yew (1812)
Crookston Castle is an unusually planned, tall and ruinous old tower in a quiet spot with fine views, held by the Stewarts of Lennox and once besieged by the great siege cannon Mons Meg, lying to the south of Glasgow in central Scotland. Crooks ton Castle (Parkyns, 1807)

The castle became ruinous, but was partly restored in 1847 to commemorate Queen Victoria’s first visit to Glasgow. The north-east tower was used to spot enemy aircraft during the blitz during World War IICrookston was gifted to The National Trust in 1931, and was their first property, although it is administered by HES.
  There are fine views over Glasgow from the top of the tower.

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