Castles and Tower Houses of the Scottish Clans 1450-1650

With the exception of the key royal sites, such as Stirling and Edinburgh, few Scottish castles were located at strategic points, or were intended to house garrisons required to defend or subjugate towns. Instead they were primarily fortified dwelling houses, erected in an environment of weak Royal authority and endemic feuding between rival clans and groups, in both Highland and Lowland areas. Although some enceinte castles were developed during the 16th and 17th centuries, most defensive construction focused on the tower house, a distinctive vernacular style of Scottish fortification. This book examines the design, development, and purpose of these quintessentially Scottish buildings, and also covers larger sites such as Urquhart and Blackness.

Reviews of Castles and Tower Houses of the Scottish Clans 1450-1650

"This fortress book is a real must for those interested in "reviving and retrieving" in the late 16th and early 17th centuries – a nice twist to the standard English Civil War period. The text is well written and is an easy, fun read and a welcomed addition to this writer's library. I am already in the process of building my own border reivers tower house using this book as a reference!" -"Historical Miniature Gamer"