We take a look at the history of Castle Law in this article originally published in theCastle during September 2009…

Many of our castles have deep histories, usually dating back hundreds of years, way beyond the average contemporary city centre hotel and often even the city centres in which they stand! Castle Law of course is no exception, but the history of these magnificent buildings doesn’t end in past centuries. The present day owners of many castles influence the course of these buildings just as much as those who have come before them, saving the structures from ruin, so generations to come can continue to enjoy their unique atmosphere and remember those who have done so before them.

Castle Law was built midway through the 1400s as a gift to Princess Mary, daughter of King James II of Scotland, following her marriage of Thomas Boyd, the Earl of Arran. At the time, the Boyds were one of the most influential clans within Scotland. The couple had 2 children together, but in 1469, whilst Boyd was on a visit to Denmark, enemies of his clan brought false charges of treason against Thomas and his brother, Alexander. On his return to Scotland, Thomas Boyd was attained and stripped of his title and estate. Princess Mary was held in custody until their marriage was annulled in 1473. Existing in a time where the theft of property was quite common, the castle was well secured. Above the main entrance sits a hole used to pour boiling water over would-be attackers. If they did manage to penetrate the outer shell, things didn’t get much easier for an intruder, with intentionally uneven stone steps trailing to the top of the building, designed to make it difficult for anyone to keep their balance whilst running upwards. There are also many low door frames, not the easiest spaces to climb through when you’re wearing a suit of armour!

After Princess Mary’s departure, the castle was used as a court of law, hence the name! From the castle’s Great Hall, guests today can still see the trapdoor used to throw prisoners into the dungeon below.

In the many years that followed, the castle hit upon increasingly hard times, and it was then purchased by Davey and Kate Hutton in the early part of the 21st century. Since childhood, it had been a dream of Davey’s to own his own castle. They purchased the property for £400,000, made possible by a loan from a local bank manager who saw Davey’s vision for the castle, which by this time, was in something of a run-down state.

The castle was restored with loving care into something that easily ranks amongst the finest within the Celtic Castles portfolio. The work was faithful to the era of the building, with an old, rustic feel present throughout. You can sit round the log fireplace in the great hall, dine at the long wooden table, enjoy a bath in a stone bathtub or sleep in one of the hand carved four poster beds (which had to be made on site due to the tight winding stone staircases that seem to cause as much difficulty for removal men today as they did enemy forces in days gone by!). When you rise in the morning, you can venture out onto the rooftop, which offers some stunning views around the local area and out to sea.

The £400,000 investment proved to be a worthy one as the castle is today valued at over £1 million. Of course, you don’t have to commit to such an expensive permanent purchase, instead Castle Law can be exclusively yours for a short stay, sleeping up to 14 adults, priced from 2250 pounds for 3 nights. At barely over 50 pounds per person per night, that offers excellent value for money!

http://www.celticcastles.com/castles/castle-law/