Carnasserie Castle, Renaissance castle in Kilmartin, Scotland
Carnasserie Castle is a Renaissance-style fortress in Kilmartin, Scotland, featuring a five-story residential tower and a three-story hall house. The structure displays large windows and crenellations designed for living comfort rather than heavy fortification.
Bishop John Carswell initiated construction in 1565 as a private residence and brought skilled masons from Stirling to build it. The building was burned and looted by Maclean clansmen during the Atholl Raid in 1690.
The castle shows how Scottish landowners wanted to live in the 1500s, with large windows and comfortable rooms rather than just military strength. You can still see how those who lived here chose comfort over pure defense.
The ruins are open to visitors today and maintained by Historic Environment Scotland, with many original 16th-century features remaining intact. The site is relatively open, allowing you to explore the exterior walls and structures from various angles.
The castle was built remarkably comfortable for its time, with large windows instead of thick walls - an unusual choice for 16th-century Scotland. This design choice made it more vulnerable to attack, as the 1690 burning later demonstrated.
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