Castles · Central Scotland
Elcho Castle
In or near Aberargie.
Elcho Castle in Scotland Islands, United Kingdom.
Mike Pennington — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1.5 h–3 h
- Nearest railway station
- Perth · 5.5 km
- Free entry
- Family-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
Getting there & planning your visit
Elcho Castle is located in the Scottish Highlands, with the nearest railway station being Perth, approximately 5.5 km away. The postcode for sat-nav is PH2 8QQ. Accessibility is limited for wheelchair users, and entry details are not specified.
About
Elcho Castle is a place of interest in Scotland Islands, United Kingdom — drawn from open-data sources for visitor reference. See the linked Wikipedia article for the full description.
Photo gallery
Official information
Elcho Castle is a well-preserved 16th-century tower house located near the River Tay. Visitors can explore the imposing exterior and the interior, which features decorated plasterwork, while imagining the life of its historical inhabitants.
From the Wikipedia article
Elcho Castle () is located close to the south bank of the River Tay approximately four miles south-east of Perth, Scotland, in the region of Perth and Kinross. It was maintained by Clan Wemyss from its construction around 1560 until it was put into the care of the Secretary of State for Scotland in the early 20th century, though was not occupied for the entire time. In around 1830 it was re-roofed and a nearby cottage constructed. The castle has been a scheduled monument since 1920 on the grounds of being "a particularly fine example of a Medieval tower-house", and the cottage became a listed building in 1971 in recognition of its national importance. The castle is unusual in that it has both en suite guest accommodation like a mansion, but also a large number of gun loops.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
The first reliable record of the Elcho was in 1429, when Sir David Wemyss of Clan Wemyss and Hugh Fraser made an agreement at "Elthok". Blind Harry's 1480s poem about William Wallace over 150 years earlier, The Wallace, refers to "Elchoch", but it is not thought by Historic Environment Scotland to be a reliable source. The main seat of Clan Wemyss was Wemyss Castle in Fife with Elcho castle being more of a country retreat. Sir John died in 1571 and his son David took possession of the castle. Sir David was involved in the wedding planning of James VI and I and Anne of Denmark in 1589. The letters "E I W" are carved outside near the door, thought to stand for "Earl James Wemyss". Sir John…
Description
Elcho Castle consists of an approximately Z-plan tower house, with evidence of a surrounding wall (a barmkin). It is a multi-storied structure with a large square tower at one corner, and three other integrated towers on the north-side. Some of the windows have metal grilles for defence, and 17 gun loops are present at the lower levels. There is only a single entrance to the castle, located at ground-level in the south-west tower, and is protected by a yett. There is a walk-way on top of the walls, with a parapet, though as with the south-eastern corbelled turret featuring large windows, it was thought to be more for inhabitants to view the surrounds than the defence. The castle was built…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 56.3746, -3.3545
- District
- Perth and Kinross
- Postcode
- PH2 8QQ
- Parliamentary constituency
- Perth and Kinross-shire
- Nearest railway station
- Perth — 5.5 km
- Official site
- www.historicenvironment.scot
Sources
- wikidata: Q2049209 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Elcho Castle (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
Elcho
Archaeological sites · 0.2 km
Kinfauns
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Rhynd Parish Church
Historic churches · 1.1 km
Kinfauns railway station
Heritage railway stations · 1.1 km
Kinfauns, Old Parish Church
Historic churches · 1.2 km
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Abbeys & priories · 1.2 km
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Villages · 1.2 km
Tofthill
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Kinfauns House, Kinfauns
Reservoirs & lochs · 1.3 km
Rhynd
Castles · 1.3 km
Loch Kaitre
Reservoirs & lochs · 1.4 km
Dow Hill
Vineyards · 1.6 km
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Elcho Castle?
- Elcho Castle is in the Scottish Highlands, United Kingdom (postcode PH2 8QQ).
- What is Elcho Castle?
- Elcho Castle in Scotland Islands, United Kingdom.
- How do I get to Elcho Castle?
- The nearest railway station is Perth, about 5.5 km away. Drivers can use postcode PH2 8QQ.
- Who owns Elcho Castle?
- Elcho Castle is owned by | website =.
- Does Elcho Castle charge admission?
- Elcho Castle typically charges admission. Check the official site for current ticket prices and opening hours.
- How do I get to Elcho Castle?
- The nearest railway station is Perth, about 5.5 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode PH2 8QQ.