Castles · Scottish Highlands
Cawdor Castle
Also known as: Castell Cawdor
In or near Ardersier.
Cawdor Castle — Scottish castle, built ca. 1380, with many later additions; fictional home of Macbeth.
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
- Nairn · 7.0 km
- Paid entry
- Family-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
Getting there & planning your visit
To visit Cawdor Castle, the nearest railway station is Nairn, located 7 km away. The postcode for sat-nav is IV12 5RD. Accessibility is limited for wheelchair users.
About
Cawdor Castle is a castle in the United Kingdom — fortified architecture from the medieval, Tudor, or Victorian-revival period. Records date its origin to 1454. Heritage designation: category A listed building. Wikidata describes it as: "Scottish castle, built ca. 1380, with many later additions; fictional home of Macbeth". Coordinates: 57.5243°, -3.9266°.
Photo gallery
Heritage listing
Cawdor Castle is a castle in the parish of Cawdor in Nairnshire, Scotland. It is built around a 15th-century tower house, with substantial additions in later centuries. Originally a property of the Calder family, it passed to the Campbells in the 16th century. It remains in Campbell ownership, and is now home to Angelika Campbell, Dowager Countess Cawdor, stepmother of Colin Campbell, 7th Earl Cawdor. The castle is best known for its literary connection to William Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth, in which the title character is made "Thane of Cawdor". However, the story is highly fictionalised, and the castle itself, which is never directly referred to in Macbeth, was built many years after the life of the 11th-century King Macbeth.
From Historic Environment Scotland under OGL v3.
Official information
Cawdor Castle is a historic Scottish castle that has been home to the Cawdor family for over 600 years. Visitors can explore the castle itself, its beautiful gardens, and the surrounding grounds, which include nature trails and recreational activities.
From the Wikipedia article
Cawdor Castle is a castle in the parish of Cawdor in Nairnshire, Scotland. It is built around a 15th-century tower house, with substantial additions in later centuries. Originally a property of the Calder family, it passed to the Campbells in the 16th century. It remains in Campbell ownership, and is now home to Angelika Campbell, Dowager Countess Cawdor, stepmother of Colin Campbell, 7th Earl Cawdor. The castle is best known for its literary connection to William Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth, in which the title character is made "Thane of Cawdor". However, the story is highly fictionalised, and the castle itself, which is never directly referred to in Macbeth, was built many years after the life of the 11th-century King Macbeth. The castle is a category A listed building, and the grounds are included in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland, the national listing of significant gardens.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
The earliest documented date for the castle is 1454, the date a licence to fortify was granted to William Calder, 6th Thane of Cawdor (or Calder, as the name was then often spelled). The castle was expanded numerous times in the succeeding centuries. In 1510 the heiress of the Calders, Muriel, married Sir John Campbell of Muckairn, Further improvements were made by John Campbell, 3rd of Cawdor (c.1576 - c.1642), who purchased rich lands on Islay. lives there still. In 2001 it was reported that the Countess had prevented her stepson from sowing genetically modified rapeseed on the Cawdor estate, and in 2002 the Countess took the Earl to court after he moved into the castle while she was away.
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 57.5243, -3.9266
- District
- Highland
- Postcode
- IV12 5RD
- Parliamentary constituency
- Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey
- Phone
- +44 1667 404 401
- Established
- 1454
- Nearest railway station
- Nairn — 7 km
- Opening
- Daily 10am–5pm; closed 24–26 Dec
- Official site
- www.cawdorcastle.com
Sources
- wikidata: Q1051919 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Cawdor Castle (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Cawdor Castle - Sir George Reid - ABDAG003948.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
Cawdor
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Cawdor Parish Church
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Cawdor War Memorial
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Nearby
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Cawdor Parish Church
Cawdor Parish Church — category A listed building-listed church in scotland-highlands, United Kingdom.
📷 3Memorials & monuments · Scottish Highlands
Cawdor War Memorial
Cawdor War Memorial — a memorial in scotland-highlands, United Kingdom.
📷 3📷 5Distilleries · Scottish Highlands
Royal Brackla Distillery
Royal Brackla Distillery — Whisky/spirit distillery.
📷 3Historic bridges · Scottish Highlands
White Bridge
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Where to eat & stay near Cawdor Castle
Places to stay
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Places to eat & drink
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Imperial Bar, 1-9 Academy Street, Inverness
Imperial Bar, 1-9 Academy Street, Inverness in Scotland Highlands, United Kingdom.
📷 5Historic pubs · Scottish Highlands
15-21 Queensgate, Inverness
15-21 Queensgate, Inverness in Scotland Highlands, United Kingdom.
📷 7Historic pubs · Scottish Highlands
93-97 Academy Street, Inverness
93-97 Academy Street, Inverness in Scotland Highlands, United Kingdom.
📷 5Historic pubs · Scottish Highlands
67 Church Street, Inverness
67 Church Street, Inverness in Scotland Highlands, United Kingdom.
📷 7Historic pubs · Scottish Highlands
Commercial Bar, 84 High Street, Invergordon
Commercial Bar, 84 High Street, Invergordon in Scotland Highlands, United Kingdom.
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Cawdor Castle?
- Cawdor Castle is in the Scottish Highlands, United Kingdom (postcode IV12 5RD).
- What is Cawdor Castle?
- Cawdor Castle — Scottish castle, built ca. 1380, with many later additions; fictional home of Macbeth.
- How do I get to Cawdor Castle?
- The nearest railway station is Nairn, about 7.0 km away. Drivers can use postcode IV12 5RD.
- When was Cawdor Castle built?
- Built or established in 1454.
- Is Cawdor Castle a listed building?
- Cawdor Castle is officially recognised as category A listed building listed.
- Does Cawdor Castle charge admission?
- Cawdor Castle typically charges admission. Check the official site for current ticket prices and opening hours.
- How do I get to Cawdor Castle?
- The nearest railway station is Nairn, about 7.0 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode IV12 5RD.