Castles · North West England
Castle of St. John
In or near Portpatrick.
Castle of St. John — castle in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, UK.

Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1.5 h–3 h
- Nearest railway station
- Stranraer · 0.5 km
- Free entry
- Family-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
Getting there & planning your visit
To visit the Castle of St. John, the nearest railway station is Stranraer, which is 0.5 km away. The postcode for sat-nav is DG9 7RT. Accessibility is limited for wheelchair users.
About
Castle of St. John is a castle in the United Kingdom — fortified architecture from the medieval, Tudor, or Victorian-revival period. Records date its origin to 1600. Heritage designation: category A listed building. Wikidata describes it as: "castle in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, UK". Coordinates: 54.9044°, -5.0261°.
Photo gallery
See it from the streetimagery from 2020
Imagery © Mapillary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0
Heritage listing
The Castle of St John, also known as Stranraer Castle, is an early 16th-century L-plan tower house in the centre of Stranraer, in Dumfries and Galloway, southwest Scotland. It was built by the Adairs of Kilhilt (who originally came from Ireland) c. 1510. It has been used as a home, a court, a police station and as a military garrison during the "Killing Times" of Covenanter persecution in the 1680s. During the Victorian era, the castle was modified to serve as a prison, and it was used as an ARP base during the Second World War.
From Historic Environment Scotland under OGL v3.
Official information
The Castle of St John, located in Stranraer, is a historic tower house built in the sixteenth century. It has served various purposes over the years, including a military garrison and a jail, and features exhibitions detailing its rich history and the lives of its former inhabitants.
From the Wikipedia article
The Castle of St John, also known as Stranraer Castle, is an early 16th-century L-plan tower house in the centre of Stranraer, in Dumfries and Galloway, southwest Scotland. It was built by the Adairs of Kilhilt (who originally came from Ireland) c. 1510. It has been used as a home, a court, a police station and as a military garrison during the "Killing Times" of Covenanter persecution in the 1680s. During the Victorian era, the castle was modified to serve as a prison, and it was used as an ARP base during the Second World War. The castle was refurbished in the late 1980s and is now a museum.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
- Coordinates
- 54.9044, -5.0261
- District
- Dumfries and Galloway
- Postcode
- DG9 7RT
- Parliamentary constituency
- Dumfries and Galloway
- Phone
- 030 33 33 3000
- Established
- 1600
- Nearest railway station
- Stranraer — 0.5 km
- Official site
- www.dgculture.co.uk
Sources
- wikidata: Q3663082 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Castle of St John (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Stranraer Castle.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby

Relief Church Burial Ground
Cemeteries · 0.1 km

Reverend John Livingston
Memorials & monuments · 0.1 km

Old Parish Church, Stranraer
Historic churches · 0.1 km

Stranraer Museum
Museums · 0.1 km

St Ninian's Parish Church, Lewis Street, Stranraer
Historic churches · 0.2 km

War Memorial, Stranraer Sheriff Court
Memorials & monuments · 0.2 km

Reformed Presbyterian Church, Dalrymple Street, Stranraer
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Blin' Johnny's Awa'
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Stranraer Tandoori
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Nearby
Cemeteries · North West England
Relief Church Burial Ground
Relief Church Burial Ground is a cemetery in the United Kingdom.
Memorials & monuments · North West England
Reverend John Livingston
Reverend John Livingston — a memorial in scotland-lowlands, United Kingdom.
Historic churches · North West England
Old Parish Church, Stranraer
Old Parish Church, Stranraer — category B listed building-listed church in scotland-lowlands, United Kingdom.
📷 3Museums · North West England
Stranraer Museum
Stranraer Museum — museum in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, UK.
Historic churches · North West England
St Ninian's Parish Church, Lewis Street, Stranraer
St Ninian's Parish Church, Lewis Street, Stranraer — category B listed building-listed church in scotland-lowlands, United Kingdom.
Memorials & monuments · North West England
War Memorial, Stranraer Sheriff Court
War Memorial, Stranraer Sheriff Court — category B listed building-listed memorial in scotland-lowlands, United Kingdom.
Where to eat & stay near Castle of St. John
Places to stay
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Places to eat & drink
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Castle of St. John?
- Castle of St. John is in the Scottish Lowlands, United Kingdom (postcode DG9 7RT).
- What is Castle of St. John?
- Castle of St. John — castle in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, UK.
- How do I get to Castle of St. John?
- The nearest railway station is Stranraer, about 0.5 km away. Drivers can use postcode DG9 7RT.
- When was Castle of St. John built?
- Built or established in 1600.
- Is Castle of St. John a listed building?
- Castle of St. John is officially recognised as category A listed building listed.
- Does Castle of St. John charge admission?
- Castle of St. John typically charges admission. Check the official site for current ticket prices and opening hours.
- How do I get to Castle of St. John?
- The nearest railway station is Stranraer, about 0.5 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode DG9 7RT.