How about stepping back in time to Castle Hill of Busby? This natural mound holds secrets of centuries past. It whispers tales of settlements and fortifications.
Castle Hill of Busby stands on the south bank. It overlooks the Kittoch Water. It’s a place where history echoes. Imagine the lives that unfolded here.
Castle Hill is a natural mound. It was extended to create a platform. This platform was for a castle. The hill stands about 10 meters high. Its oval top measures 24 meters by 17 meters.
This was likely a Douglas stronghold. Before The Peel it was here. Today little remains of the castle. There are traces of foundations though. They suggest a possible gatehouse.
Castle Hill may have been a motte. Not much is known for sure. It stands just 180 meters from Rough Hill. Castle Hill was likely a wooden castle. A stone castle later replaced it on Rough Hill.
Two ditches to the north and east created it. They defended a small promontory. This promontory jutted into the Kittoch Water. The ditches are about 4.5 meters deep.
Material from the ditches formed a mound. It is kidney-shaped. It measures about 40 meters by 18 meters. At the north-east end there is a raised circular area. It’s about 0.3 meters high. It is 17 meters in diameter. This is likely where the wooden keep stood.
The Normans may have built a castle here. Later it became a Douglas property. James Douglas lost his estates in 1455. This was after fighting with King James II. James Hamilton then received the lands.
Over 4000 years ago settlers lived at Castle Hill. They were from the neolithic period. That’s 4000 to 2500 BC. The site was later fortified around 700 BC. A single rampart enclosed a 5-acre area.
During the 7th and 6th centuries BC the fort grew. Two more ramparts increased the defended area. It then covered about 10 acres.
The Brigantes tribe occupied the hill in the 5th century BC. They upgraded the defenses. They turned the outer rampart to stone. They increased the size of the ditches. A large fire destroyed the settlement. The site was empty for 1500 years.
Illbert De Laci built a motte and bailey castle around 1140. The well still remains. It was mentioned in a charter of King Stephen. The ditches and embankments likely date to this time.
An attempt to found a settlement failed. By 1320 the site was abandoned. It was used for warning beacons. One such time was for the Spanish Armada.
In 1810 a small alehouse was built. A larger building replaced it in 1854. In 1899 the Victoria Tower opened. It commemorated Queen Victoria’s reign.
Today Castle Hill is peaceful. The Victoria Tower stands. There are remains of fortifications. Footpaths offer panoramic views.
As you stand here, imagine the generations. They lived and defended this very spot. Castle Hill of Busby is more than just a hill. It is a testament to time. It’s a reminder of the people who shaped our world.