Scottish Castles Association

Preserving the Past for the Future


Dairsie Castle - Fife

Dairsie Castle
Dairsie Castle - restored from ruin

Dairsie Castle is a 16th Century Z-Plan Towerhouse. It consists of a main block and two small round towers. A third rectangular tower, containing the original entrance was very ruined.

The basement was occupied by cellars, and a kitchen with a large fireplace, while the hall was on the first floor.

The original castle was the property of the Bishops and Archbishops of St. Andrews. David 11. is said to have spent much of his boyhood here, and in 1335 the Scottish Estates met at the castle. The present building was mostly built by the Learmouth family, who held the property from the 16th century. It passed to the Spottiswoodes in 1616, and in 1661 the nearby church was built by John Spottiswoode, Archbishop of St. Andrews. He is said to have written much of the History of the Church and State of Scotland here. Sir Robert Spottiswoode, Presidant of the Court of Session, was executed for being a Royalist in 1650. The castle then passed to his father-in-law, George Morrison, and later to the Scots of Scotstarvit. The castle had become quite ruinous, but was completely rebuilt in the 1990's.

Dairsie Castle Before The Rebuild
Dairsie Castle before the rebuild
Wording taken from The Castles of Scotland Third Edition by Martin Coventry



Added: 14 Apr 2010 Updated: 21 May 2019
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