6 Old Ruins to Explore in Dundee

Ardestie Earth Houseis an example of an earth house or souterrain, ancient underground structures common to the British Isles and Brittany. This is one of the largest and most complex examples of its kind in Scotland. It was accidentally discovered during ploughing in 1949. Subsequent excavations during the following two years also revealed about eight associated stone dwellings at ground level.

The ruins of Balmerino Abbey stand in a beautifully tranquil corner of northern Fife close to the south bank of the River Tay and some five miles south west of the Tay Road Bridge. It was founded in 1227 to 1229 by monks from Melrose Abbey with the patronage of Ermengarde de Beaumont and King Alexander II of Scotland. In combination with several centuries of plundering for building stone the entire main abbey is absent and only the smaller support structures to the north survive, most notable of

Carlungie Earth House is one of the largest and most complex examples of its kind in Scotland. It was accidentally discovered during ploughing in 1949. Subsequent excavations during the following two years also revealed about eight associated stone dwellings at ground level. The winding passage is one of the most complex earth house structures in Scotland. Despite the name, it is not a house, nor is it built of earth.

Creich Castle is a ruined tower house near Creich, Fife, Scotland. The tower house is L-shaped and three to four storeys tall. The tower house and its associated buildings is a scheduled monument. There is a mention of a castle on the property in the 13th century, but it is uncertain what relationship that has to the existing structures. There is documentary evidence of a tower in 1553, but the existing structure either postdates that or has been heavily remodeled, judging by its architectural s

Mains Castle is a 16th-century castle in Dundee, Scotland. The castle consists of several buildings surrounding a courtyard, although several of the original western buildings no longer exist. The northern and eastern buildings are where the family would have lived, with the servants occupying the southern quarters. The castle also has a large, six-floor, square tower house with dressed cornerstones, which is typical of 16th-century construction. It is a Category A listed building

Tealing Earth House is not a dwelling, but a stone-lined souterrain, an iron age underground passage, the purpose of which is widely debated. When it was discovered in the 1800s, a magnificent cup-and-ring marked stone was found re-used in one of its walls. The Earth House was discovered by a farmer in 1871 and is today in the care of Historic Environment Scotland. Nearby lies an interesting doocot that was built in 1595.