Clan Rising
Newark Castle today

Scotland · Ruin

Newark Castle

Newark Tower (Newark Castle) is a late-medieval Scottish tower house standing on a low prominence in the Yarrow valley near Selkirk. The surviving structure is a multi-storey rectangular keep with remaining sections of a gatehouse and enclosing wall (barmkin). It is a scheduled monument and today survives as a ruin within the grounds of Bowhill House.

Recreate this castle →Defend this castle →

Photograph via Wikimedia Commons

Its prime

1503

Today

Ruin

As it stood in 1503

What Newark Castle looked like in its prime.

A tall, rectangular seven-storey stone tower house of compact footprint, standing alone on a grassy promontory above the Yarrow valley. Thick light-grey rubble walls pierced by small rectangular and slit windows rise to pronounced gabled short-ends; the west gable bears carved royal arms. A low barmkin wall and the stub of a gatehouse enclose a courtyard around the tower. The tower roofline in its prime would show intact pitched roofs behind the crow-stepped/gabled end profiles.

Its story

The story of Newark Castle.

Around 1406 Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas and Duke of Touraine, moved his principal residence in the Selkirk Forest from Edibertshiels to this prominence in the valley of the Yarrow Water, three miles west of Selkirk. Forest courts were held at Newark twice yearly, at Beltane and All Hallows, dispensing justice for crimes such as illegal hunting and deforestation.

After the fall of the Black Douglases in 1455 the tower was held by the Crown. Alexander, Lord Home, was keeper of the castle and forest from 1490, and the keys later passed from Margaret to her husband, Lord Methven.

Newark survives as a large ruined tower house in the grounds of Bowhill House, a multi-storey rectangular keep with sections of gatehouse and barmkin wall still standing, and is designated a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland.

Step inside

8 places to explore in 1503.

The record describes 8 distinct spots at Newark Castle, including 1 interior: interior of the keep (vertical sequence of chambers). Create your own photoreal reconstruction and explore every one, more scenes means more rooms, more angles, and more of the place to stand in.

Approach from the east (valley lane)Tower entrance and basal wallsBarmkin (enclosed courtyard)Gatehouse and curtain wallWest gable with royal arms (close-up)Roofline, gables and parapetInterior of the keep (vertical sequence of chambers)Forest court in the barmkin

Build Your Own Castle

Recreate Newark Castle with AI to explore it.

The artist rebuilds it as it stood in 1503, a photoreal reconstruction that belongs to you alone. Pay with coins, no subscription needed.

Recreate this castle →Defend this castle →

Whose castle

Clans who held Newark Castle.

The families that held Newark Castle for a decade or more across its history, follow a name to its clan.

  • Douglas

    Principal Selkirk Forest residence of Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas, from c.1406 until the fall of the Black Douglases in 1455.

From the archive

Newark Castle on paper: the measured plan and period views.

The survey plan and photographs below are the ground truth this page's reconstructions are checked against, drawn and photographed while the castle was still a working garrison. Every image is public-domain or openly licensed, with its source named.

NEWARK CASTLE, RENFREWSHIRE., Newark Castle

NEWARK CASTLE, RENFREWSHIRE.

1887 · MacGibbon & Ross, vol. 2 (1887)

Public domain

Fig. 865. — Newark Castle. Plans., Newark Castle

Fig. 865. — Newark Castle. Plans.

1887 · MacGibbon & Ross, vol. 2 (1887)

Public domain

Nearby

Landmarks within reach of Newark Castle.

Rosslyn Chapel, Roslin, ScotlandChurchRosslyn Chapel, Roslin37 km away

Questions about Newark Castle

What is the history of Newark Castle?

Newark Castle’s history begins in the early 15th century, when Archibald Douglas moved his principal Selkirk Forest residence there around 1406. Forest courts were held twice yearly, dealing with offences including illegal hunting and deforestation. After the Black Douglases fell in 1455, the Crown held the tower; it was unsuccessfully besieged in 1547 and burnt the following year.

What is inside Newark Castle?

Inside Newark Castle is the keep’s vertical sequence of chambers. The surviving building is a multi-storey rectangular keep, with the interior arranged through the height of the tower. The supplied description does not identify individual rooms by name.

Why was Newark Castle built, and what was it used for?

Newark Castle was built as the principal residence and administrative centre of the Selkirk Forest. Forest courts met there twice a year, at Beltane and All Hallows, to dispense justice for crimes such as illegal hunting and deforestation. Its use therefore combined residence, forest administration and judicial functions.

Where is Newark Castle?

Newark Castle is in the Yarrow valley, three miles west of Selkirk, in the Scottish Borders. It stands on a low prominence above the Yarrow Water, within the grounds of Bowhill House. The surviving tower overlooks the valley from a grassy promontory.

When was Newark Castle built?

Newark Castle was built in the late medieval period, with the seven-storey tower house constructed during the late 15th or early 16th century. Its first-raised year is not recorded, while the tower is associated with the years after 1473 and before Margaret Tudor received it in 1503.

Was Newark Castle ever attacked or besieged?

Newark Castle was attacked by an English army in 1547, but the siege was unsuccessful. The tower was burnt the following year, in 1548. The supplied material does not identify the English commander or describe the damage in further detail.

Which family or clan held Newark Castle?

The Douglas family held Newark Castle as Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas, used it as his principal Selkirk Forest residence from around 1406 until the fall of the Black Douglases in 1455. After that fall, the Crown held the tower.

What did Newark Castle look like in its prime?

In its prime, Newark Castle was a tall, compact, rectangular seven-storey stone tower house. Thick light-grey rubble walls contained small rectangular and slit windows, and pronounced gabled short-ends gave the tower a strong vertical silhouette. A barmkin and gatehouse enclosed a courtyard, while carved royal arms appeared on the west gable.

Is Newark Castle still standing, or is it a ruin?

Newark Castle survives as a ruin, but its main tower still stands. The surviving remains include a multi-storey rectangular keep, sections of a gatehouse and parts of the enclosing barmkin wall. The ruin lies within the grounds of Bowhill House and is designated a scheduled monument.

More castles of Scotland

Little Cumbrae Castle, ScotlandLittle Cumbrae CastleLuffness Castle, ScotlandLuffness CastleCraigston Castle, ScotlandCraigston Castle
All castles of Scotland · Castles of Europe · the best castles in Europe · explore the finished reconstructions.