Some aspects of early castle-building in Scotland

Abstract

This thesis consists of an examination of the origins and development, of various forms of castle erected in Scotland between c 1052 and c 1330. It is arranged in two sections. In the first part, I have examined critically the work of earlier authorities, and the constructed an alternative model against which to examine the chronology and evolution of early forms of castle in Scotland. Contrary to what the earlier authorities have claimed, I have suggested that a feature of the earlier Scottish Castles was their multiplicity of design, and that during the period under discussion they developed along broadly similar lines to Contemporary castles in other parts of the British Isles. It was probably only with the political and social disruption that inevitably accompanied the Wars of Independence that a truly 'Scots' form of castellar architecture evolved. The second and larger section is arranged as an inventory, which includes more than 800 castles which have in the past or now appear to me to belong to the early mediaeval period. Unlike most of the earlier authorities, I have attempted systematically to integrate the documentary, architectural and archaeological evidence relating to each of these castles. In addition, I discuss the various dates to which these structures have been ascribed and attempt to show where they might fit in ray alternative model.