Kames Castle, 16th-century tower house in North Bute, Scotland
Kames Castle is a stone tower house from the 16th century located near Kames Bay in North Bute, Scotland, with four stories and several cottages arranged around a central courtyard. The property spans 20 acres of planted grounds and features a two-acre walled garden dating from the 18th century.
Robert the Bruce granted the territory to the Bannatyne family in the 14th century, which led to the construction of the original tower house. The structure underwent significant reconstruction during the 19th century.
The residence was birthplace to critic John Sterling, a notable figure in literary circles whose life and work reflected the intellectual currents of his era. This connection to the world of letters gives the place a role in Scotland's cultural memory.
The property sits in a coastal setting with easy pedestrian access to the gardens and open spaces for self-guided exploration. The layout is straightforward to navigate, though visitors should be prepared for uneven ground in some areas of the grounds.
A visible line of brickwork on the exterior clearly marks where the original structure meets the 19th-century reconstruction. This tangible boundary tells the story of two distinct building periods within a single structure.
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