13th century castle near Dumfries re-opens after being closed for more than two years

  • Watch as Caerlaverock Castle re-opens to the public.

A 13th century castle near Dumfries has re-opened to the public after being closed for more than two years.

Caerlaverock is the only triangular castle in Scotland and had been shut for repairs after opening briefly after the Covid-19 pandemic.

The castle was a 13th century fortress and the site for a series of bloody battles.

Caerlaverock Castle was closed in spring 2021. Credit: ITV

Valerie Bennett from Caerlaverock Castle explains why the castle was closed.

She said: “We are very pleased to be able to welcome visitors back to Caerlaverock Castle, after being closed for just over two years.

"We managed to open up again after Covid but once some initial checks were done we realised that the building wasn’t very safe for visitors. To protect staff and visitors we had to close we could do proper surveys."

Caerlaverock has seen repairs done to it. Credit: ITV

Caerlaverock isn't the only site to have been affected by closures, with others including Melrose and Jedburgh abbey still yet to reopen.

Historic Environment Scotland, who operates the sites says that they are looking forward to welcoming visitors back to these iconic landmarks.

Valerie Bennett added: "Sadly quite a lot of sites have been affected by closures, in this region and in the Borders. A lot of it is to do with a change in the weather patterns. It has really impacted on a lot of the stone buildings, which are very often made of sandstone. Thankfully a lot of them have no partially reopened so visitors can gain at least some access to the sites.

The castle has re-opened to the public. Credit: ITV

"We will gradually be working on repairs which will mean the sites will be fully open. We don’t however have a time scale for these things cause it will just take however long it takes.

“People feel that this is their castle. Caerlaverock Castle is our castle, I am a local person too. It is great for people that even when we were closed people could still come to the grounds and enjoy the beautiful scenery that we have here.

"The castle is really special because of its unique shape. It is the only triangular castle in Scotland and it is only one of two to have a wet moat. The location is just stunning, we have a beautiful area and thankfully since we reopened we have been really busy. It has been a fantastic response from local people and holiday makers as well."

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...