Caerlaverock Castle is located in Dumfries and Galloway in the Scottish Borders.

In 1220 King Alexander II granted the lands of Caerlaverock to Sir John Maxwell, Warden of the West March. He built the first castle on the site, however, John’s successor abandoned this castle in favour of a new site a few hundred metres to the north.

The castle’s proximity to the English border saw it involved in the Wars of Independence. In July 1300 the castle found itself in the direct line of invasion of Edward I of England’s army. The 60 man garrison mounted a spirited resistance but ultimately the castle was taken.

A peace treaty of 1328 brought short term security to the border and Caerlaverock was repaired and re-occupied, but the attempted coup of Edward Balliol, resulted in yet another attack on the castle when Sir Roger Kirkpatrick captured and partially dismantled the castle in 1355. Thereafter, the castle was restored to the Maxwells and underwent rebuilding between 1373-1450.

The castle saw action again during the Scottish Reformation. As the Protestant movement gained traction, the Maxwells remained Catholic. Accordingly they supported Mary, Queen of Scots even after her abdication, resulting in Caerlaverock being besieged in 1570. The castle was captured and partially demolished. In 1593 Lord Maxwell repaired the castle, however the family were stripped of Caerlaverock and all titles following the murder of Sir James Johnstone in 1608.

Caerlaverock was restored to the Maxwells in 1617, but the family, who remained loyally Catholic, was embroiled in the Bishops War. In 1640 the army besieged Caerlaverock and, after a 13 week siege, forced its surrender. Afterwards the castle was stripped of valuables and its great south curtain wall demolished so that it could never again be used as a place of defence.