Mearns Castle – Newton Mearns, Scotland - Atlas Obscura
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Mearns Castle

Newton Mearns, Scotland

Attached to this castle is a local church.  

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Mearns Castle tower and Maxwell Mearns Castle Church Rosser1954 / CC BY-SA 4.0
Mearns Castle tower and Maxwell Mearns Castle Church Rosser1954 / CC BY-SA 4.0
Mearns Castle wrobison / CC BY-SA 2.0
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Constructed in 1449, Mearns Castle is a Category A listed building situated in the suburban Glasgow town of Newton Mearns. Constructed by Herbert Maxwell (1st Lord Maxwell), historic records suggest it was used as a place of visit for his family, who resided at Caerlaverock Castle in Dumfriesshire, rather than a place of permanent residence. The site sits on a prominent position that maintains a view of the surrounding area.

The building consists of a single rectangle-shaped tower with four stories. The main entrance is an arched-stone feature on the first story and historically was accessed by a ladder. The castle remained in the Maxwell family until it was sold in the 17th century and after several ownerships, the castle began to fall into a state of disrepair. 

It was later restored and now forms part of the Maxwell Mearns Castle Church, although the castle itself is mostly unused.  

Know Before You Go

Mearns Castle is only accessible from the outside and is not open to the public. 

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November 29, 2022
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