Site of lost Scotland medieval castle 'linked to Mary, Queen of Scots' is found

The location of a lost medieval castle reportedly linked to Mary, Queen of Scots and which was reportedly destroyed more than 450 years ago has been found.

Artefacts which may confirm the exact whereabouts of Eddlewood Castle have been discovered in Chatelherault Country Park near Hamilton in South Lanarkshire.

Mary Queen of Scots: The site of a castle reportedly linked to the doomed monarch is thought to have been found. | Getty Images

Eddlewood was reportedly torn down after the Battle of Langside in 1568, which effectively brought to an end Mary’s reign of Scotland. After her side suffered heavy losses, she fled south before crossing to England to face captivity and, ultimately, execution.

READ MORE: Mary Queen of Scots: Decoded letters reveal a monarch unfiltered

A cobbled surface, a possible drain and pottery sherds which have now been dated to the 14th and 15th century have emerged at the site following an excavation by archaeologists and volunteers.

They went into the site partly given an 1889 account that recorded the castle and its connection to the battle, which was fought between forces loyal to Mary, Queen of Scots and forces acting in the name of her infant son James VI.

Now, it is believed the location matching the description of the castle site has been identified. The finds in the woods will lead to a further excavation next year.

Ailsa Smith, co-founder of Clutha Archaeology Group and community representative on the Scottish Strategic Archaeology Committee, said: “As the pottery sherds have been confirmed as medieval, we plan to carry out another excavation in 2025 to explore the site further and hopefully find more artefacts and wall remains.

“In the meantime, we will continue our archival research to see if we can find earlier historic references to the castle and the Eddlewood estate.”

Local knowledge has suggested that stone blocks which may have formed the outer wall of a castle were disturbed during the building of a nearby housing estate. At present, nothing is known of the castle’s appearance or when it was built.

Despite hopes of a find, archaeologists cannot rule out at present the possible link between Eddlewood Castle and the Battle of Langside was created to make the site more interesting to visitors in the early days of tourism in Scotland.

This story of Eddlewood Castle is among reports of a number of excavations across the country collated in the Celebrating Archaeology in Scotland 2024 magazine, which was published on Friday.

Other stories from this year’s magazine include new dating and isotope analysis as part of the investigation into the identity of ‘Trimontium Man’, a 2,000-year-old skeleton found on the site of a Roman fort in the Scottish Borders, and excavations at the 12th-century remains of Lindores Abbey in Fife, potentially the site of Scotland’s first whisky production in 1494. 

Dr Andy Heald, chair of the Scottish Strategic Archaeology Committee, said: “These stories highlight the diverse nature of the sector and one of Scotland's Archaeology Strategy's core visions - inclusivity.

“As we begin to reflect on the last nine years of the strategy and look to the future, we will continue to celebrate the great work being done throughout the sector and those that are doing it.”

Alex Adamson, head of heritage research service at Historic Environment Scotland, said: “Archaeology brings alive Scotland’s past, helping us to better understand the world around us today. As we approach 2025, the current Scotland’s Archaeology Strategy is coming to an end and we look to the future.

“The strategy has given us many successes to celebrate and much to build on as our focus turns to the contribution archaeology can make in the next decade. This year’s issue of Celebrating Archaeology in Scotland shows how archaeology is vital to delivering the goals of our wider sector strategy, Our Past, Our Future: the transition to net zero, empowering local communities, and building a wellbeing economy for residents all over the country.”