How are castles used today?

In this article you can find out:

This resource is suitable for Landscapes topics for P2, P3, P4, P5, P6 and P7 (First and Second Level Curriculum for Excellence).

Find out how castles are used today.

This video can not be played

Image caption,
Tourist attractions and museums
Nowadays many castles are open to the public as tourist attractions and museums. Balhousie Castle in Perth is a museum which tells the story of the Black Watch Regiment from 1725.
Image caption,
Concerts and special events
Sometimes castles in Scotland are used as the location for concerts and special events. In particular, Edinburgh Castle is the backdrop for the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
Image caption,
Homes
Castles have been homes to royal families and Scottish clans for hundreds of years. Today, some castles still belong to these clans. As well as being a visitor attraction, Inveraray Castle is home to the Duke of Argyll and his family.
Image caption,
Hotels
Many Scottish castles have become hotels where people can relax or even host a wedding. Glenapp Castle in Ballantrae is a Scottish Baronial-style castle which has become a hotel.

Image caption,
Many castles have been left in ruins
Not all castles survived war, attacks and years of bad weather. Castles like St Andrews Castle in Fife (above) have become ruins. We can still tell a lot about the original building from what has been left behind.
Image caption,
Some castles have been knocked down and rebuilt
Many of Scotland's castles have been rebuilt and look nothing like the original buildings. The original Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire was knocked down by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert and rebuilt into a much bigger and grander fairy-tale castle (above).
Image caption,
Some castles have had unusual makeovers
Kelburn Castle in Ayrshire was originally built in the 1200s but has been rebuilt and remodelled over hundreds of years. In 2007, Kelburn was covered in colourful graffiti as part of a special art project.

In the video at the top of the page, we learned that people come from all around the world to visit Scotland's castles.

With help from Lumsden Primary School, let's find out more about one of Scotland's many castles: Kildrummy Castle in Aberdeenshire.

This video can not be played

Lumsden School in Aberdeenshire worked with The LAB and Historic Environment Scotland in making this short film about Kildrummy, their local castle.

There are thousands of castles in Scotland. Research a castle in your local area and create a poster advertising it to visitors.

Questions to think about: