Caisteal Dubh (Castle Black of Moulin), Perthshire

Caisteal Dubh, otherwise known as The Black Castle of Moulin, so named due to its abandonment in fear of the plague, was originally surrounded by a Loch. Built in the wake of the first War of Welsh Independence by Sir John Campbell, Earl of Atholl it was a fortified enclosure protected by a tall, 10 feet thick curtain wall supported by round turrets on each corner but without any central Tower or Keep.

Access to the castle is quite easy from the parking area of Ballinlochan Terrace, where there is a footpath to the castle.

~ History ~

1326 ~ Sir John Campbell, Earl of Atholl, cousin of King David II of Scotland, builds himself a courtyard castle on an island within a Loch, on land granted to him by King Robert the Bruce, for his support during the first War of Scottish Independence. The castle was originally positioned on an island or peninsula surrounded by a Loch. 

1512 ~ The great plague (an galar mor) devastates the Scottish Highlands and is particularly deadly in the parish of Moulin. After the plague breaks out amongst the garrison within the castle, killing all those stationed there, nobody would afterwards enter the castle. As a result, the castle is later blown up using cannon, the stone used as a funeral cairn over those victims of the 'black death'.

1638 ~ The Fergusson's sell the castle to Murray Earls of Atholl.

1681 ~ John Murray, Marquis of Atholl, is granted a warrant for two fairs to be held outside the castle every year.

1720's ~ The loch surrounding the abandoned castle is drained to wet farm marshland.