Westhall Castle

Overview

Westhall Castle is a fragmentary ruin of a medieval tower house located near Inverness in the Scottish Highlands. Originally built in the 15th or early 16th century, it served as a fortified residence for a branch of the Cumming (Comyn) or Dunbar families, who held land in the area during the later Middle Ages. Though now reduced to low walls and foundations, Westhall once formed part of the network of small strongholds that secured northern Scotland during a period of clan rivalry and political instability.

Early history

The site of Westhall may have earlier origins as a manor belonging to the Thanes of Cawdor or as an outpost of the Comyns, who dominated much of the region before their downfall in the 14th century. The existing stone structure likely dates from the 1400s, when tower houses became the preferred residences of the Highland and northern lairds. Built for protection as well as prestige, Westhall exemplified the defensive domestic architecture that characterised much of late medieval Scotland.

Building and layout

Westhall Castle was probably constructed as a rectangular tower house, rising three storeys high and built of local rubble stone. The basement would have been vaulted for strength, with the main hall and private chambers located above. Access was likely by an external stair leading to a first-floor entrance, typical of the period. A barmkin wall would have enclosed a small courtyard containing ancillary buildings such as kitchens, stables, and storage rooms. The elevated position of the site provided both security and commanding views over the surrounding farmland.

Later history and decline

By the 17th century, as the region stabilised under royal authority, Westhall’s defensive function diminished and the tower was gradually abandoned or incorporated into later domestic buildings. Records from the 18th century refer to the property as “Westhall House,” suggesting that parts of the medieval structure were reused or adapted for agricultural purposes. Over time, the original tower fell into ruin, its stones reused in local construction.

Present condition

Today, only fragments of Westhall Castle survive — low stretches of walling and traces of the tower’s base, surrounded by farmland near the village of Croy. Though little remains above ground, the site is of archaeological interest and reflects the widespread pattern of fortified tower houses that once dominated the Scottish Highlands. Its name and ruins preserve the memory of a period when even minor lairds required defensible homes, blending the practical needs of security with the enduring ambition of status and lineage.