It’s a stunning, peaceful spot, hidden in woodland on a steep bank above the River Tay.
Today, Kinclaven Castle lies in ruins, its thick walls covered in ivy, its derelict courtyard carpeted with wild garlic or bluebells, depending on the season.
Turn back the centuries and this serene spot was the site of bloodshed, death and fire.
Built in the 11th Century, it was abandoned around 1455, and has been falling into decay ever since.
What remains of Kinclaven Castle today?
The fact the two metre thick walls are still standing in 2025 is a testament to those who built them all those centuries again.
A wander round the vast, square-shaped enclosure, is absolutely fascinating.
The castle would once have had squared towers at each corner, and a drawbridge and portcullis at the main entrance.
Today, creepers and ivy dominate, twisting and curling down walls and along the ground.
Nature has taken over
Meanwhile, trees and saplings grow freely in and around the crumbling enclosure.
My eye catches a strange wee doorway, and a bit of online research later tells me this is a ‘sallyport’.
It’s thought this would have been used as a sort of secret entrance in and out of the castle – handy when it was being attacked.
The courtyard would have been entered by narrow doors, and if you look closely (you might have to untangle some ivy), you can see that parts of their rybats (polished pieces of stone that form the side of a window or door) still remain.
There’s also evidence of a ditch, but again, overgrown vegetation can make spotting this tricky.
Peering closely at the stonework, I spot the remains of a crumbling flight of stairs lead up to what would once have been a wall walkway.
This would have curved right round all four sides of the castle, allowing those inside to get a good view of approaching enemies.
A great place to let the imagination run riot
I stand for a while gazing up the three tall window openings, before rooting around in the patch of land surrounding the castle.
I assume there would have been vast gardens here, with the produce grown in them – maybe kale, carrots, and potatoes – used to prepare sumptuous feasts.
And perhaps animals were kept in enclosures, sheds or stables, and then put to the slaughter. I can only imagine.
It’s also pretty incredible to think that I could standing in exactly the same spot as William Wallace – who attacked the castle in 1297.
So what about the history?
Initially built for the Scottish King Malcolm Canmore, who reigned from 1057 to 1093, Kinclaven Castle fell into English hands during the Wars of Independence.
These were a series of battles fought between Scotland and England in the 13th and 14th Centuries.
What’s the William Wallace connection?
Scotland’s most famous warrior, William Wallace, paid the castle a visit in the late 13th Century.
Edward I, King of England, and one of Scotland’s greatest adversaries, had captured Kinclaven from the Scottish garrison that was based there in 1296.
He was often nicknamed ‘Longshanks’ because of his height and long legs – at 6ft 2in, he towered over most of his contemporaries.
Others called him the ‘Hammer of the Scots’ – because he attacked Scotland with such force.
In 1297, William Wallace, in hot pursuit of English knights who were travelling on horseback from Perth, followed them 15 miles to Kinclaven.
He attacked and recaptured the castle, and the English garrison surrendered.
No mercy was afforded: Wallace had the soldiers, including the castle’s governor, Sir James Butler, put to the sword.
It’s thought that Wallace and his men stayed at Kinclaven for seven days after the slayings, before burning the castle to the ground.
Hard times made for hard men
The idea was to put it out of English reach – they would otherwise likely retake it, and make full use of its defensive location, in the heart of the Scottish countryside.
It’s brutal – but these were hard times, and hard times made for hard, ruthless, patriotic men.
Ultimately, it was Longshanks who had Wallace hung, drawn and quartered eight years later, in August 1305.
His head was then dipped in tar and stuck on a pike on London Bridge as a warning to others of King Edward I’s “justice”.
His limbs were sent to be displayed in Newcastle, Berwick, Stirling, and Perth.
What next for Kinclaven?
Fast forward to 1335, and the English, now under the command of King Edward III, returned to Kinclaven and made a series of repairs to the castle.
The ambition was to garrison it and hold it from the Scots.
But when King David II returned from France in 1336, he gained the backing of Scottish Nobles to take back Kinclaven from the English forces.
But it was destroyed – again – and left as a ruin, so that the English could not use it.
King of Alba visited Kinclaven
There are stories of many royals and nobles who inhabited Kinclaven’s walls through the centuries, beyond Wallace and Longshanks.
King Alexander II, who was King of Alba from 1214 to 1249, stayed at Kinclaven at least twice in 1248.
How do we know this? Written records indicate he ordered a large amount of alcohol to be delivered ahead of his arrival. No doubt a merry time was had by all!
Castle built to control ferry crossing
Turn back time to 1067, when the castle was built, and the story goes that it was originally used to control the ferry crossing nearby.
The Kinclaven ferry was driven by a chain and could make the passage across the Tay in five minutes.
When a stone bridge was built in its place in 1905, the ferry ceased operation.
For those who fancy checking out the castle – and I suggest you do – the best place to park is probably at the famous Meikleour Beech Hedge.
From there, you can walk cross Kinclaven bridge, head down to the river, stroll along it for a few minutes, and look up to your right to see the castle.
If you visit between April and June, wild garlic will be in bloom.
And if you head there in May, you should be lucky enough to experience the ground in and outside the castle ruins fully carpeted in stunning bluebells.
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