Hoddom Castle is dominated by a four storey Tower House, located in the north-east corner of a quadrangular enclosure that was protected by a barmkin.Two storey round towers occupy the remaining three corners. A ditch once surrounded the site.

Today the castle can be found surrounded by a large caravan site, and it is from here you can walk round its perimeter, albeit this is as far as you can get. A fabulous looking castle with a Tower House that is quite spectacular.

~ History ~

1124 ~ Hoddom, part of the Lordship of Annandale is acquired by the Bruce family. They grant it to another Anglo-Norman family who take the name de Hodlem, building the first fortification on the north bank of the River Annan.

1486 ~ The Lordship of Annandale is acquired by Herbert Herries of Terregles.

1543 ~ William Herries dies without leaving a male heir resulting in his substantial estates being divided amongst his three daughters. The southern portion of Hoddom goes to Anges Herries who marries Sir John Maxwell of Terregles.

1563 ~ The Scottish reformation enables Sir John to acquire the adjacent lands from the Knights Hospitallers. It is here the set about building their new castle, re-using masonry quarried from the old fortification. At the same time a watch-tower close to the castle, Repentance Tower, as well as Annan Castle are under construction.

1568 ~ Following Mary, Queen of Scots defeat at the Battle of Langside, her close ally Sir John Maxwell is ordered to surrender Hoddom Castle. He refuses and so Moray leads a force into the borders and besieges it.

A spirited action follows but the garrison are forced to surrender after only one day. The castle is entrusted to Douglas of Drumlanrig who also assumes the role of Warden of the Scottish West March.

1569 ~ The castle is recaptured by Queen Mary's forces.

1570 ~ Hoddom Castle is attacked and captured by an English force under Lord Henry Scrope. Its defences are slighted.

1578 ~ Sir John Maxwell is re-appointed as Warden of the Scottish West March. Once again, he makes Hoddom Castle his central stronghold.

1603 ~ The Union of the Scottish and English Crowns brings peace and eventually order to the Border region, leaving Hoddom Castle's role irrelevant.

1627 ~ Hoddom is sold to Sir Richard Murray of CockpoolI.

1637 ~ Sir John Murray, Earl of Annandale, follows his brother in owning Hoddom Castle, transforming with the tower.

1653 ~ Following the death of Sir John Murray, Hoddom Castle passes to Sir David Caregie, Earl of Southesk.

1688 ~ The castle is sold to John Sharpe of Collieston, a Dumfries Member of Parliament.

1769 ~ The castle passes to Charles Kirkpatrick. He makes further modifications to the castle. He is followed by his son, Lieutenant-General Matthew Sharpe, who commissiones architect William Burn to make significant changes to the castle including substantial extensions to the south and west of the Tower House.

1877 ~ Edward Brook, a Huddersfield mill owner, purchases the castle. He demolishes some of the structures to the north and replaced them with a Jacobean style rang.

1920's ~ The castle ceases to be a high-status residence.

1940's ~ Hoddom Castle is requisitioned as a hospital during World War II.

1953 ~ Although the castle is returned to the family after the war ends, it is by now beyond their ability to repair and it is abandoned. The south and west wings are demolished giving a clear view of the sixteenth century Tower House.