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Caerlaverock Castle: A Curious Tale of Two Castles.. . and One Moated, Triangular Masterpiece

The Scottish Flag

Caerlaverock Castle (occasionally misspelled Caerlavelock) is an incredibly special site that it'd be hard not to fall in love with.

Why's it so romantic? Well, the name itself is especially picturesque: 'Caerlaverock' means 'fort of the skylark' (from caer meaning fort; and the old English laewerce meaning lark).

Although Caerlaverock Castle's tiny, its shape makes it incredibly special: it's triangular, topped with a turret (or two!) at each point. To make it even more perfect, the entire castle is surrounded by an atmospheric green moat, making the whole place feel like somewhere from a story-book.

This aerial view of Caerlaverock Castle perfectly demonstrates its triangular shape. Credit: Simon Ledingham, WikiMedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0).

It's not just the shape of the castle which makes it unique. The area was once home to two sister castles - 'old' Caerlaverock and 'new' Caerlaverock. 'New' Caerlaverock is the castle that you can visit today, and the 'old' castle was built some 50 years prior. Of the 'old' castle, only the foundations remain, mysteriously buried in nearby forest.

A Tale of Two Castles: How Caerlaverock Came to Be Built

Caerlaverock stands on the frontier of Scotland and England - a turbulent area, given the historical animosity between the two countries. As with so many other modern day castles, the the fortifications at Caerlaverock were preceded by ancient Iron Age hill forts, as well as more modern Roman outposts. However, the two castles we're concerned with were built by the Maxwell family, starting in the 1220s.

Could this be the coat of arms of the Maxwell Family? It was one of the additions to Caerlaverock made in the 1600s. Credit: MarsRoverDriver, Creative Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0).

The Maxwells were Scottish lords - and were strangers to the area. However, in around 1220, the Scottish King Alexander II granted the land to the family. Why did they get such a windfall? Sir John Maxwell had been a trusted advisor to the King (his Chamberlain!), and King Alexander wanted trustworthy men to help him secure his border-lands between his Scottish Kingdom, and the English frontier.

Granted with the privilege of new land, Sir John Maxwell began beavering away, building the 'old' castle from around 1220. This castle was situated around 200m south of the spot where the 'new' castle sits. However, this castle wasn't used for long - for less than 50 years, before it was replaced by the 'newer' one.

Nowadays, only the worn foundations of the 'old castle' remain - and they're hidden within a forest. A gentle walking trail that starts on the site of the 'new' castle can lead you to see them.

An Unexplained, Triangular Design

Of all the mysteries of Caerlaverock Castle, it's not entirely known why such a special, triangular design was chosen for the 'new' castle, that was built from 1270. Some scholars have argued that it was due to the shape of the underlying rock, but this doesn't quite explain the perfect symmetry of the castle, or the position of the moat. The triangular shape is also unique within the UK, although it's not the only example in the world of a triangular castle: there are other similar shapes, including the Castello di Sarzanello, which is North of Pisa, Italy, and was built in about 1320.

An attractive view of Caerlaverock, showing one of the 'points' of the castle, and the moat surrounds. Credit: John, Creative Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0).

The layout, however, is brilliantly defensive. The curtain-walls (which make up the triangular shape) double-back on themselves, which provides a formidable layer of defence. At each corner of the triangle, there's a tower, which acts as a look-out point and also maximises the strength of the construction. In addition, at the front point of the triangle, facing north towards Scotland, there are two-towers which make up the gatehouse. These two towers even included the rooms of the Maxwell family!

A Castle Battered By Many Sieges

Caerlaverock Castle survived some huge sieges during its time. One of the most significant sieges (and one of the best recorded military events in Medieval History) was the work of the English King Edward I in 1300.

Mighty King Edward I - nicknamed 'long-shanks from his huge height, or the 'hammer of the Scots' for his brutality - was intent on invading Scotland after having successfully overtaken Wales during previous years. In 1300 he unleashed a massive siege upon Caerlaverock Castle, intent of overcoming its defences - and making his way forward to capture Scotland.

Edward I besieged the castle towards its mighty gatehouse, which is at the Northern tip, looking to Scotland. Credit: John, Creative Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Edward I besieged the Caerlaverock in 1300, attacking with a phenomenal 87 knights, more than 3000 men, and using siege engines that had been transported across the country. The entire expedition was recorded in poetry - The Roll of Karlaverock - which is one of the best remaining primary sources describing Medieval castle sieges. Here's a description from it:

Despite Caerlaverock being extremely well defended, the castle fell in just two days. Some of the Scottish defenders were hung from the sides of the castle in punishment, and the castle fell to the hands of the English for 12 years. Edward I was successful here - but his long-term ambitious of overtaking Scotland were never realised!

This may have been the greatest siege to befall Caerlaverock Castle, but it certainly wasn't the last. The castle was besieged again in 1356 (this time by Scottish forces, as the Maxwells were seen as being too close to the English); and then twice more by the English in 1544 and 1570 (as a result of ever-rumbling English/Scottish border battles).

One of the triangular towers, which would have been at each of the three corners, is now ruined as a result of the 1640s siege - demonstrated by this pic. Credit: John, Creative Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0).

The last huge siege came in 1640, when the Maxwell family sided with Charles I. The castle was kept under siege for a mighty 13 weeks but, as before, the attackers won out. In punishment - and to ensure that the castle could not be used again for defence - the place was looted and vast damage was inflicted on the curtain walls at the back of the fortress, rendering it unfit for defence. The castle was then pretty much abandoned from 1640 up to modern times - so the state you see today is close to the condition just after the 1640 ransacking.

Planning a Trip to Caerlaverock Castle

Nowadays, Caerlaverock Castle is an interesting, small site that'd take up a happy few hours of your holiday-time. Access is possible by public transport - getting a train to Dumfries, and then a bus, and then walking - but it's much easier driving by car. There's an adequate car-park, along with some basic catering facilities and a small gift-shop - it may be best to take a picnic.

This brilliant picture shows the ruins of the castle. Look to the building in the centre of the castle on the right side of the photo. This is the Nithsdale Lodging, added in the 1600s. Credit: John, Creative Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0).

It's easy to wander around Caerlaverock Castle, and the site has ample green-space for relaxing in, as well as some guided walkways to the wooded area, where the 'old' castle ruins can be found. There's also models and demonstrations of old siege engines - and kids can even clamber over child-friendly ransacking tools within the carefully-themed play area!