Cardoness Castle stands high upon a rocky mound dominating Fleet Bay. It is a well-preserved ruin where you can admire this magnificent structure as well as the superb views towards the Solway Firth beyond.

The castle is close by the road with limited parking but is quite a steep climb.

~ History ~

1449 ~ The lands are held by the Cardoness family but tragically most of them are drowned whilst out skating on a frozen loch. Through marriage the lands pass to the MacCulloch's.

1450 ~ The MacCulloch's commencing building a mighty tower on their new Cardoness lands.

1471 ~ The unruly and violent 2nd laird, James MacCulloch, is outlawed.

1480 ~ Following a reprieve James MacCulloch is again outlawed.

1489 ~ Thomas MacCulloch, James's grandson, besieges the Adairs of Dunskey Castle. Soon afterwards he plunders the castle of his kinsman, MacCulloch of Adair.

1509 ~ James's successor, Ninian, robs his father's widow of all her goods and is later executed.

1513 ~ James's son the notorious Thomas MacCulloch, fights and dies at the Battle of Flodden.

1516 ~ The castle and its lands pass to Alexander MacCulloch.

1530's ~ Alexander raids the Isle of Man. He drags Marion Peebles, widow of the Gordon owner, from her sick bed and leaves her to die upon a dung heap.

1629 ~ Due to mounting debts Cardoness Castle passes to their arch enemies the Gordan's. Later it passes to the Maxwells and Stewarts.

1690 ~ Sir Geoffrey MacCulloch shoots William Gordon and is forced to flee abroad to escape trial.

1697 ~ Sir Geoffrey is spotted in St Giles in Edinburgh. He is arrested and later beheaded.