Whose whispers linger at Drumsagard Castle? This unassuming park in Hallside, surrounded by Hallside Boulevard and Elder Crescent, holds the secrets of Drumsagard Castle. Drumsagard Castle wasn’t always a memory. It once stood proudly, a stone sentinel overlooking the landscape. The name itself, Drumsagard, meaning “ridge of the priest,” hints at an earlier significance.
Drumsagard Castle began as a timber fortification atop a man-made mound, a clever strategy against the flood-prone land. Later, it was rebuilt in stone, a testament to its importance. This imposing structure was the caput of the barony of Drumsagard. In the 13th century, the Oliphant family held Drumsagard Castle. Through marriage, it passed to the de Moravia family. Around 1362, another marriage transferred ownership to the powerful Douglas family. Archibald Douglas, Earl of Douglas, married Johanna, daughter of Thomas Moray of Bothwell, sealing the castle’s fate. By 1452, the Hamilton family controlled the lands.
Drumsagard Castle stood as a silent witness to Scotland’s turbulent history. It weathered storms, both literal and political, until time and neglect took their toll. By 1796, Drumsagard Castle lay in ruins. Its stones found a new purpose in the construction of nearby Hallside Farms. Today, a housing development encircles the site. The castle may be gone. But the mound on which it stood remains, a gentle rise in the landscape. It whispers tales of the families who called Drumsagard Castle home, of sieges and celebrations, and of a time when its walls echoed with life. Close your eyes. Can you hear the echoes of those whispers? They tell the story of Drumsagard Castle, a story etched not in stone, but in the very earth beneath our feet.