Bothwell Castle Bothwell Castle is a large medieval castle sited on a high , steep bank , above a bend in the River Clyde , in South Lanarkshire , Scotland . It is located between Bothwell and Uddingston , about south - east of Glasgow . Construction of the castle was begun in the 13th century by the ancestors of Clan Murray , to guard a strategic crossing point of the Clyde . Bothwell played a key role in Scotland ' s Wars of Independence , changing hands several times . The huge cylindrical Donjon was built in the 13th century , but before the rest of the castle was completed it was severely damaged in a series of siege s . Rebuilding in the early 15th century enlarged the castle , but it was abandoned by the 18th century . The present ruin is rectangular , with the remains of the Donjon to the west , and the later Great Hall to the east . The courtyard is enclosed by long curtain walls , with round towers at the south - east and south - west corners . History . King David I granted the barony of Bothwell to David Olifard ( or Olifant ) , Justiciar of Lothian , in the mid 12th century . The lands passed to his descendents , and in 1242 the barony became the property of Walter de Moravia , or Walter of Moray , who had married the last Olifard baron ' s heir . He began construction of the castle , but by the start of the Wars of Scottish Independence in 1296 , only the main donjon , the prison tower , and the short connecting curtain wall were completed . Foundations of the remainder were probably in place , and would have been defended by a wooden palisade . Wars of Scottish Independence . The forces of King Edward I of England invaded Scotland at the start of the war , and seized Bothwell , also capturing Walter ' s son , William Moray of Bothwell . The English garrison holding the castle was besieged by the Scots for 14 months in 1298 — 1299 , and eventually capitulated . Edward I returned in 1301 , capturing the castle once more with a force of 6800 men , and specially constructed siege engine s . Bothwell became the headquarters of Aymer de Valence , 2nd Earl of Pembroke , Edward ' s appointed Warden of Scotland , and remained in English hands for several years . Following Robert the Bruce ' s victory at Bannockburn in 1314 , the castle provided shelter for several English nobles . However , the castle ' s constable , Sir Walter FitzGilbert , surrendered the castle to the approaching Scots . For this act , he was granted the barony of Cadzow , where his descendants became the powerful Hamilton family . The Scots slighted the castle after its surrender . In 1336 the English returned again , this time under Edward III . The English king had the castle repaired , and again made it his headquarters in Scotland . The following year , however , Sir Andrew Murray , nephew of Sir William and the rightful owner of Bothwell , recaptured the stronghold , again using siege engines . Following his victory he slighted the castle once more , pulling down the west side of the Donjon and tumbling it into the Clyde , in order that it could not be reoccupied by the enemy . The castle remained derelict until the 1360s . Douglas . In 1362 , Joan Moray of Bothwell , heiress of the Morays , married Archibald Douglas , nicknamed " the Grim " and later to be Lord of Galloway and Earl of Douglas . Douglas commenced rebuilding Bothwell , repairing the donjon and completing the walls . The work was continued by his son , Archibald , the 4th Earl . By 1424 they had constructed the Great Hall and adjacent chapel , with towers at the north - east and south - east corners , and curtain walls connecting to the Donjon , enclosing the courtyard . The " Black " Douglases were forfeited in 1455 , and their lands returned to the crown . James III granted Bothwell to Lord Crichton , and then to Sir John Ramsay , who were both forfeited in turn . In 1488 Bothwell was granted again to Patrick Hepburn , 2nd Lord Hailes , and the Earldom of Bothwell was created for him . Hepburn did not retain Bothwell Castle for long , however , exchanging it with Archibald Douglas , 5th Earl of Angus , known as " Bell - the - Cat " , in return for Hermitage Castle in Liddesdale . James IV visited Bothwell in 1503 and 1504 . Bothwell thus reverted to the Douglases , and descended through the Earls of Angus to the Earls of Forfar . Archibald Douglas , 1st Earl of Forfar began construction of a new mansion nearby , demolishing the castle ' s north - east tower for its stone . ( His house was demolished in 1926 due to mining subsidence in the area ) . After the death of the 2nd Earl at Sheriffmuir in 1715 , a lawsuit was fought over the inheritance of Bothwell , the winning party being Archibald Stewart of Grandtully . The castle then descended to the Earls of Home . In 1935 the then Earl gave Bothwell into state care . It is now managed by Historic Scotland , and is open to the public ( entrance charge ) .