9 Iconic Buildings to Explore in South Lanarkshire

Boghall Castle was a 14th century castle to the south of Biggar, South Lanarkshire, Scotland. Boghall became ruinous in the 19th century. The courtyard castle was built in the 14th century by the Fleming family, to replace the motte and bailey castle at Biggar. The castle was strategically sited where the valleys of the River Tweed and the River Clyde meet.

Bothwell is the largest and finest 13th-century stone castle in Scotland. Much of castle dates from 14th and 15th centuries, but part of the original circular keep survives. Located in a beautiful setting overlooking the River Clyde, part of the original circular keep of Bothwell Castle survives. Bothwell played a key role in Scotland's Wars of Independence, changing hands several times.

Cadzow Castle is a place of last resort built by the Hamiltons, the Scottish royal dynasty that never was. Once one of the greatest noble houses in Scotland, the Hamiltons’ allegiance to Mary Queen of Scots brought about their downfall. The castle sits above a gorge overlooking the Avon Water in what is now Chatelherault Country Park, but was previously the hunting and pleasure grounds of the Duke of Hamilton's estate of Hamilton Palace - this area being known as Hamilton High Parks. The ruin is

Corra Castle is a ruined 16th-century castle within the Corehouse Estate near New Lanark, Scotland. It overlooks Corra Linn, one of the four waterfalls which make up the Falls of Clyde. In 1967 it became a scheduled monument. The site was chosen because it was seen as being impregnable, as it is surrounded by sharp cliffs on three sides. It features a ha-ha as part of its design, offering an unobstructed view of the surrounding countryside.

A ruined castle in South Lanarkshire, which dates back to around 1530, and functioned as a residential tower, protected by an artillery fortification. The oldest part is the tower house built by Sir James Hamilton of Finnart. The castle’s defences include a caponier, a stone vaulted artillery chamber, which is rare in Britain. Craignethan is recognised as an excellent early example of a sophisticated artillery fortification, although its defences were never fully tested

Crawford Castle, substantially in ruins, is located on the north bank of the River Clyde, around half a mile north of Crawford, South Lanarkshire, Scotland. The ruins stand on an earlier motte and bailey earthwork. The castle was formerly known as Lindsay Tower, after its former owners, the Lindsay family. The strategic location of the castle, at NS954213, guards the strategically important Mennock Pass from England into the upper Clyde Valley.

Douglas Castle was a stronghold of the Douglas family from medieval times to the 20th century. The first castle, erected in the 13th century, was destroyed and replaced several times until the 18th century when a large mansion house was built in its place. This too was demolished in 1938, and today only a single corner tower of the 17th-century castle remains. The castle was the former family seat of the Prime Minister, Sir Alec Douglas-Home.

Gilbertfield Castle is a ruined 17th-century castle in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is located at NS652587, on the north slope of Dechmont Hill, just outside Cambuslang, to the south-east of Glasgow. The castle was built in the early 17th century, and the date 1607 is displayed on a heraldic panel above the door.

Lee Castle, also known as The Lee, is a castellated mansion in Auchenglen, a branch of the Clyde Valley in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is located 1.5 kilometres south of Braidwood, and 4 kilometres north-west of Lanark. Lee was the seat of the Lockharts of Lee from its establishment in the 13th century until 1919, though the present house is the result of rebuilding in the 19th century. The house is protected as a category B listed building, and the grounds are included in the Inventory of