Special Occasions @ Airth
Health & Beauty centre
Conferences & Events
Send A Hint...
Visit Our Sister Hotel
the history of airth castle
Majestically overlooking the River Forth, Airth Castle still manages to impress many passers by. This is not at all surprising if you consider that Airth Castle has been around since the 14 th Century and thus has a vivid history.
Airth Castle is situated on one of the two hills in Airth and this is where its name came from originally; ERTH (Ardhe in Gaelic) signifies a hill. It was also the ERTH family who were the first to occupy Airth Castle in 1309. Before this time the ERTH family owned considerable amounts of land in the Stirlingshire area, before they decided to build a Castle to stipulate the nobleman ship of Fergus the ERTH.
Around 1440 Edward Bruce, the second son of Sir Robert Bruce of Clackmannan, married Agnes AIRTH, one of three daughters and co-heiresses of William AIRTH. This is when the Airth Castle ownership changed families. Edward’s son, Robert Bruce, got the title of Airth Castle after his father sadly passed away. Robert turned out to be quite a rebel when he decided to join the rebel lords. As a result the opposition, namely James II, decided to take revenge on his decision by burning down the castle on the 11 th of June 1488. It took Robert more than a year to receive compensation for this dreadful act of revenge, which ended up being 100.00 pounds exactly. It was ‘for byggen of his place that was byrnt’.
In 1600 King James VI crowned Airth Castle into a Royal Burgh, which was not at all appreciated by the Stirling Council, as their Castle had not been given this very desired title. It was thus not too long after that the erection was annulled.
The old ruins next to the Castle are from the Airth Old Church and quite a few of the inhibitors of Airth Castle have been buried there. The tombstone of Sir John Bruce, which used to be the north chapel of the Airth Old Church has the Bruce family crest as well as the initials of Sir John Bruce encrypted in it (S.J.B). Furthermore, Alexander Bruce, whose black marble tombstone is said to adjoin the above, succeeded John. The inscription reads ‘Ex Robertii Brussii Scotorum Regis filio secundo natu progenito, Baroni AIRTHense’. It was after Alexanders death that the Castle’s ownership changed families again. With no son to inherit the Castle, in 1642 the Barony of Airth went to his daughter who was married to Richard Elphinston. In 1717 the property was sold to Judge Graham, whose family held on to the property for a long period after. It was only in 1971 that the Castle was once again sold, this time to the Forrester family. They were the ones who refurbished the Castle to what it is today.
The east wing of the Castle is definitely the oldest part. It consists of a square tower with two unequal sized turrets at its front corners. The west wing is alleged to be as old as the time of William Wallace. It is a simple square tower with embattlements and has been named after William Wallace, namely Wallace’s Tower. The part of the building between the two wings has dormer windows which have been widened and increased in height recently.
The AIRTH Old Church is said to have been built somewhere in the 12 th century. It stands on the verge of a rock, right next to the Castle. Even though today all that is left of it is ruins, it is a very picturesque place. Unfortunately, over the years, it has not been looked after very well and today it is in a state of ruin that can no longer be repaired.
Back To Top »