Castles · Central Scotland
Mains Castle
In or near Dundee.
Mains Castle — castle in Dundee City, 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
- Dundee · 3.2 km
- Family-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
Getting there & planning your visit
To visit Mains Castle, the nearest railway station is Dundee, which is 3.2 km away. The postcode for sat-nav is DD4 9BX. Entry has limited wheelchair accessibility.
About
Mains Castle is a castle in the United Kingdom — fortified architecture from the medieval, Tudor, or Victorian-revival period. Heritage designation: category A listed building. Wikidata describes it as: "castle in Dundee City, Scotland, UK". Coordinates: 56.4856°, -2.9581°.
Photo gallery
Heritage listing
Mains Castle (also known as Claverhouse Castle or Fintry Castle ) is a 16th-century castle in Dundee, Scotland. The castle consists of several buildings surrounding a courtyard, although several of the original western buildings no longer exist. The northern and eastern buildings are where the family would have lived, with the servants occupying the southern quarters. The castle also has a large, six-floor, square tower house with dressed cornerstones, which is typical of 16th-century construction. It is a Category A listed building. The castle is located in Dundee's Caird Park to the north of the city overlooking the Dichty valley and adjacent to a small stream known as the Gelly Burn.
From Historic Environment Scotland under OGL v3.
Official information
Mains Castle is a historic 15th-century venue located in Caird Park, Scotland. It features a six-floor tower house and offers a unique setting for weddings and special events, showcasing its rich history and architectural charm.
From the Wikipedia article
Mains Castle (also known as Claverhouse Castle or Fintry Castle ) is a 16th-century castle in Dundee, Scotland. The castle consists of several buildings surrounding a courtyard, although several of the original western buildings no longer exist. The northern and eastern buildings are where the family would have lived, with the servants occupying the southern quarters. The castle also has a large, six-floor, square tower house with dressed cornerstones, which is typical of 16th-century construction. It is a Category A listed building. The castle is located in Dundee's Caird Park to the north of the city overlooking the Dichty valley and adjacent to a small stream known as the Gelly Burn. On the opposite side of the burn is located the mausoleum of the Graham family and the Main's cemetery, which was formerly the site of the district's kirk. The castle and its grounds was the subject of a poem by Dundee poet William McGonagall in his work The Castle of Mains.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
The castle is believed to have been built in 1562 by Sir David Graham, nephew of Cardinal Beaton. A keystone in the western gateway bears this date as well as the initials DG and DMO for David Graham and Dame Margaret Ogilvy. A horizontal beam in one of the eastern courtyard doors bears a date of 1582, indicating a possible completion date. The castle was the seat of the Grahams of Fintry and remained so until the 19th century when Robert Graham of Fintry sold the lands to David Erskine, with the condition that his family could retain the territorial title of Graham of Fintry and that the estate revert to the older name of Lumlathen or Linlathen. An earlier castle was held by the Douglas'…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 56.4856, -2.9581
- District
- Dundee City
- Postcode
- DD4 9BX
- Parliamentary constituency
- Dundee Central
- Nearest railway station
- Dundee — 3.2 km
- Official site
- www.mainscastle.co.uk
Sources
- wikidata: Q11838974 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Mains Castle (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Mains Castle.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
Mains (St Ninian's) Church, Caird Park, Dundee
Historic churches · 0.1 km
Caird Park Velodrome
Stadiums · 0.3 km
Mill of Mains
Other places · 0.5 km
Road Bridge, Claverhouse, Dundee
Historic bridges · 0.7 km
Trottick Mill Ponds
Wildlife reserves · 0.9 km
Claverhouse
Reservoirs & lochs · 0.9 km
Finlathen Aqueduct, Dundee
Aqueducts · 1.0 km
Dundee International Sports Centre
Other places · 1.0 km
Mains Parish Church, Old Glamis Road, Dundee
Historic churches · 1.1 km
Maryfield Hospital
Other places · 1.1 km
Ryze
Trampoline parks · 1.1 km
'The Clep' Public House, 96-98 Clepington Road, Dundee
Historic pubs · 1.1 km
Nearby
📷 5Historic churches · Central Scotland
Mains (St Ninian's) Church, Caird Park, Dundee
Mains (St Ninian's) Church, Caird Park, Dundee — category C listed building-listed church in scotland-central, United Kingdom.
📷 3Stadiums · Central Scotland
Caird Park Velodrome
Caird Park Velodrome in Scotland Islands, United Kingdom.
📷 4Other places · Central Scotland
Mill of Mains
Mill of Mains in Scotland Islands, United Kingdom.
📷 5Historic bridges · Central Scotland
Road Bridge, Claverhouse, Dundee
Road Bridge, Claverhouse, Dundee — category B listed building-listed bridge in scotland-central, United Kingdom.
📷 3Wildlife reserves · Central Scotland
Trottick Mill Ponds
Trottick Mill Ponds — nature reserve in Dundee, Scotland, UK.
📷 4Reservoirs & lochs · Central Scotland
Claverhouse
Claverhouse in Scotland Islands, United Kingdom.
Where to eat & stay near Mains Castle
Places to stay
📷 7
📷 5Hostels · Central Scotland
Dundee Backpackers Hostel
Dundee Backpackers Hostel — a hostel in scotland central.
📷 7Hotels · Central Scotland
Hampton by Hilton Dundee City Centre
Hampton by Hilton Dundee City Centre — a hotel in scotland central. Brand: Hampton.
📷 7Hotels · Central Scotland
Four Points Flex by Sheraton
Four Points Flex by Sheraton — a hotel in scotland central. Brand: Four Points by Sheraton.
Caravan parks · Central Scotland
Caravan Storage Compound
Caravan Storage Compound — a caravan park in scotland highlands.
Caravan parks · Central Scotland
Greenacres
Greenacres — a caravan park in scotland highlands.
Places to eat & drink
📷 5Historic pubs · Central Scotland
'The Clep' Public House, 96-98 Clepington Road, Dundee
'The Clep' Public House, 96-98 Clepington Road, Dundee in Scotland Central, United Kingdom.
📷 7Historic pubs · Central Scotland
Windmill Bar, 113 Hilltown, Dundee
Windmill Bar, 113 Hilltown, Dundee in Scotland Central, United Kingdom.
📷 5Historic pubs · Central Scotland
Office of J & D Grimmond, 1-3 King Street, Dundee
Office of J & D Grimmond, 1-3 King Street, Dundee in Scotland Central, United Kingdom.
📷 7Historic pubs · Central Scotland
Ladywell Tavern, 16 Victoria Road, Dundee
Ladywell Tavern, 16 Victoria Road, Dundee in Scotland Central, United Kingdom.
📷 5Historic pubs · Central Scotland
Public House, 51, 53 Meadowside, Dundee
Public House, 51, 53 Meadowside, Dundee in Scotland Central, United Kingdom.
📷 5Historic pubs · Central Scotland
51 Commercial Street, Dundee
51 Commercial Street, Dundee in Scotland Central, United Kingdom.
More castles in this region
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Achallader Castle
Achallader Castle — castle in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, UK.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Mains Castle?
- Mains Castle is in central Scotland, United Kingdom (postcode DD4 9BX).
- What is Mains Castle?
- Mains Castle — castle in Dundee City, Scotland, UK.
- How do I get to Mains Castle?
- The nearest railway station is Dundee, about 3.2 km away. Drivers can use postcode DD4 9BX.
- Is Mains Castle a listed building?
- Mains Castle is officially recognised as category A listed building listed.
- Does Mains Castle charge admission?
- Mains Castle typically charges admission. Check the official site for current ticket prices and opening hours.
- How do I get to Mains Castle?
- The nearest railway station is Dundee, about 3.2 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode DD4 9BX.