Cardoness Castle
Cardoness Castle was built by the McCullochs,
a powerful Galloway family who were frequently
in dispute with their neighbours, probably some
time in the 1470s. The tower-house was built
comfortable enough for people of their
importance but also strong enough to defend
during the local feuds they were so often at the
center of. The tower-house has a vaulted
basement that was divided into two floors for
storage. Above this is the main hall which has
a large fireplace and finely carved cupboards
in the walls. Beside the fireplace is a salt-box
where salt was stored to keep it dry. The storys
above the hall provided the private lodgings for
the family. They have lost their original floors
although more recently a wooden floor has
been added near the top of the tower so that
you can get a better view of the rooms.
The McCullochs, through their in-feuding and mismanagement of finances, lost the
castle to John Gordon of Buck in 1628, head of a family the McCullochs had long
feuded with. But the McCullochs didn't give up easily. In 1668 Alexander McCulloch
dragged John Gordon's ailing widow out of her house and threw her onto a dung
heap. And in 1690 Sir Godfrey McCulloch shot dead William Gordon, John's son. Sir
Godfrey escaped to France, but was spotted in Edinburgh in 1697 and beheaded on
the Maiden, the Scottish equivalent of the guillotine. Cardoness Castle was
abandoned after Sir Godfrey's death. It passed through the hands of a number of
owners before being placed in State care in 1927. Today it is cared for by Historic
Scotland.
