Kames Castle

Nestled on the shore of Kames Bay near Port Bannatyne on the Isle of Bute, Scotland, lies a remarkable piece of history known as Kames Castle. This 16th-century tower house is a stunning example of Scottish architecture and is steeped in history and tradition. With 20 acres of lush grounds and a 2-acre walled garden, Kames Castle is a magnificent place to visit for anyone interested in history, architecture, or simply the beauty of Scotland.

The History of Kames Castle The lands of Kames were granted to the Bannatyne family by Robert the Bruce in the 14th century, and the present tower house is believed to date from the 16th century. Sir William Macleod Bannatyne, a distinguished lawyer and judge in Edinburgh, was the last Bannatyne owner of Kames Castle. In the later 18th and early 19th century, he laid out the walled garden and constructed a mansion next to the tower house.

The castle was also the birthplace and early home of the critic and essayist John Sterling, and Thomas Carlyle referred to it as “a kind of dilapidated baronial residence to which a small farm was then attached” in his biography of Sterling. Lord Bannatyne sold the estate around 1810, preferring his social life in Edinburgh, and Kames Castle became part of the Marquess of Bute’s estate in 1863. Some alterations to the tower house were carried out in the later 19th century, and the mansion was replaced with a series of cottages around a courtyard in the early 20th century, with the intention of creating a hunting lodge.

Kames Castle Today In the mid to late 20th century, Kames Castle was used as a children’s holiday home by the Scottish Council for Spastics. Nowadays, it is privately owned, with several of the cottages available as holiday lets. Visitors can take a tour of the castle and explore the magnificent grounds, which offer breathtaking views of the sea and surrounding countryside.

The walled garden at Kames Castle is a beautiful example of an 18th-century garden, and visitors can admire the stunning array of flowers, herbs, and vegetables grown within its walls. The stone cottages that surround the courtyard are also worth a visit, as they provide a glimpse into the history of the castle and the people who once lived there.