Dudhope Castle, Dundee, United Kingdom

Dudhope Castle was originally built in the late 13th century by the Scrymgeour family. This was replaced around 1460.

James V visited in April 1540. The castle was further extended in 1580 for James Scrimgeour and Magdalen Livingstone to its current L-plan structure with additional circular 'angle' towers, although these were demolished in the 18th century.

During the centuries Dudhope Castle was held by four different families, of which the Scrymgeours held the post for some 370 years.

In 1795 the park and the grounds were leased to the Board of Ordnance, who used Dudhope as a barracks for 95 years, from 1796 to 1879. Additional buildings were constructed, including a hospital, officers quarters, stables and guard-rooms. The castle building itself was used as accommodation for 400 soldiers. The Board of Ordnance finally abandoned the castle in 1881.

The building was later occupied by the Ministry of Works and was used as a military barracks during both the 1914–18 war and the 1939–45 war. A time gun was formerly located in the grounds of the castle and fired daily at 1pm. It ceased to be used in 1916 so as not do disturb patients at the nearby Dundee Royal Infirmary who were suffering from shell-shock.

The castle passed to the corporation of Dundee who made an attempt to demolish the castle in 1958. In the years 1985 to 1988 the castle was redeveloped and is now in use as offices, a conference centre as well as housing the University of Abertay Dundee's Dundee Business School. During restoration, one of the main rooms was designated as the Scrimgeour room. It is furnished with wall hangings pertinent to the Scrimgeours and the drapes on the windows are made from material in the Scrimgeour tartan.

References:

Wikipedia

User Reviews

Rodrigo Oliveira (2 years ago)
Weirdly empty but very large and well maintained

cat graham (3 years ago)
I love walking around the grounds of the castle. Came here geocaching.

Delong Chen (3 years ago)
What a cute castle!

Mick (3 years ago)
It was converted into a woollen manufactory at the end of the 18th century, and subsequently used as a barracks. D MacGibbon and T Ross 1987-92; R L Mackie 1939; A C Lamb 1895. Dudhope Castle is as described above. It is in a good state of preservation and in use as a club house. A plaque under the main entrance arch reads, "Dudhope Castle - erected end of 16th century on remains of original building 15th century Seat of the Constables of Dundee from circa 1298 - including Graham of Claverhouse, circa 1684. Military Barracks 1796-1879".

Alba Gu'Brath (3 years ago)
Every member of staff at Covid-19 test site are polite & professional, giving clear instructions & seem happy to help if you should need help. All apart from ONE grumpy round natzi that works security on the gate, who spat all over my window, insisting my autistic kid was a liar, despite photographic evidence. That one man turned this simple test into a major trauma!

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