Boghall Castle, Lanarkshire
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Location | Biggar, 50 miles South-East Glasgow |
Road | Boghall Road, off A702 & M74 |
SatNav | ML12 6QQ |
Boghall Castle was in its day one of the largest and most imposing castles in the south of Scotland.
The site occupies a strategically important site where two valleys meet, possibly as far back as Roman times.
The remains of the castle can be seen from the roadside on private land. Sadly little now remains but you can get a sense of how large this once strong fortress would have been.
~ History ~
1130's ~ Baldwin Flamingus is granted land by King David I at Biggar. Baldwin was the great grandson of Erkenbald Flandrensis of Rouen, a Norman knight who had travelled to England with William the Conqueror.
1300's ~ The Flemings were loyal supporters of King Robert the Bruce, receiving further lands in the area of Biggar.
1310 ~ King Edward II of England stays at Boghall.
1341 ~ Malcolm Fleming, Steward to King David II, is made Earl of Wigtown.
1346 ~ Fleming is captured at the Battle of Neville's Cross along with his King, David II of Scotland.
1372 ~ The Fleming's lose their Earldom to the powerful Douglas family.
1400's ~ David Fleming, the second son of Sir David Fleming of Biggar, settles in Renfrewshire naming his property Boghall.
1440 ~ Sir Malcolm Fleming of Biggar is beheaded, along with the Earl of Douglas and his brother, at the Black Dinner of Edinburgh Castle by the King and his henchmen.
1460 ~ Robert Fleming is made the 1st Lord Fleming during a period in which the Flemings power and influence reaches new height.
1473 ~ Queen Margaret, wife of King James III stays the night at Boghall on her way to the shrine of St. Ninian in Whithorn.
1492 ~ Boghall Castle is extended by Malcolm Fleming of Cumbernauld. The area surrounding the castle is marshy ground, and considered impassable, offering natural defences. In addition to this the castle is surrounded by a substantial courtyard wall.
1524 ~ John Fleming, Chancellor of Scotland, is murdered whilst out hawking by Thomas Tweedie and his co-conspirators, which ignites a feud between the families.
1547 ~ Malcom Fleming, 3rd Lord and High Chamberlain of Scotland, is slain at the Battle of Pinkie.
His daughter is Mary Fleming, on of the 'Four Marys' of Mary Queen of Scots.
1558 ~ James Fleming, 4th Lord, is poisoned at Dieppe, acting as commissioner for the wedding of Mary, Queen of Scots, to the Dauphin of France.
1565 ~ Mary, Queen of Scots visits Boghall Castle.
1568 ~ The castle is surrendered to the Regent Moray following a siege.
1605 ~ The Flemings are again made Earls of Wigtown.
1650 ~ Cromwellian forces occupy the castle.
1747 ~ The 6th and last Earl dies, and the castle is abandoned.