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Rothesay Castle sits squarely in the middle of the town of Rothesay on the Isle of Bute. A rather unusual location for an ancient monument, but one that adds a certain charm to Rothesay town centre. Originally, the castle was virtually sitting on the shore, being only 75 yards from the sea. During 1839 and 1840, the shoreline was extended and Victoria Street, Albert Place, and the Esplanade were added to the town. The result was to place the castle behind a curtain of buildings so that it can scarcely be seen from the bay.

Rothesay Castle is a courtyard castle, and originally consisted of the great curtain wall, which may date from 1204. It is first mentioned in the Anecdotes of Olave the Black which describes its capture by the Vikings in 1228. Until 1263, the castle changed hands many times until the defeat of the Vikings at the Battle of Largs ended their influence in this part of Scotland.

The castle sits on a mound surrounded by a deep moat which is fed by a burn from Loch Fad. As well as the moat and curtain wall, there would have been a wooden pallisade on the inner shore of the moat.

The castle was held by the English during the Wars of Independence, but was taken by Robert The Bruce, only to be recaptured again by the English in 1334, once again to be recaptured by the Scots.

Rothesay Castle was a favourite residence of Robert II, 1371-1390, who built the small chapel of St Michael in the courtyard. (St Michael the Archangel was the patron saint of warriors.) Robert III, 1390-1406, was the first monarch to create his eldest son Duke of Rothesay. That title is still bestowed on the heir apparent to the throne and is currently held by Prince Charles. It was also Robert III who gave the town of Rothesay its royal charter in 1401. Rothesay's charter is the first occasion in which the term 'royal burgh' is used in a Scottish document.

The castle was besieged by the Earl of Ross in 1462, and by the Master of Ruthven in 1527. In 1544 it was captured by the Earl of Lennox on behalf of the English. In the 1650s it was held for Charles I, but later taken by Cromwell, whose men damaged the castle when they left in 1659. The Duke of Argyll's men torched the castle in 1685, and it remained in ruins until 1816.

The forward keep or 'dungeon tower' was added by James IV in 1512, and the work completed by his son James V between 1540 and 1542. It should be noted that the castle was an important centre for operations against the rebellious Scots, but the additions to the castle also added to the creature comforts of the visiting monarch.

The first restoration work started in 1816-18 by the second Marquess of Bute. He employed 70 men for this work, clearing and excavating the courtyard, and repairing the vault over the gateway.

More repairs and renovations were carried out by the third Marquess (who also rebuilt Mountstuart House on the island) between 1871 and 1879. This consisted of further excavations inside the courtyard, and the clearing and restoration of the moat.

Since 1961 the castle has been owned and operated by Historic Scotland. It is not just used as a tourist site, but has been used for musical events, and historic re-enactments. Sometimes it is used by islanders to provide the most dramatic location for a wedding.

The moat has ducks all through the summer, and even a few hardier ones who remain in winter. From 1999 through 2001, a pair of swans nested on a very prominent little isthmus on the inner shore of the moat and hatched their eggs under the gaze of local residents. Small crowds gathered to watch the cygnets until they were old enough to be marched to the sea by the swans. This was done with the help of the RSPB and local police. Yes, the traffic really was halted to make way for them! Unfortunately, one of the swans died in late 2001 following an accident with a car. In 2002 another pair of swans were using the same nesting site. No cygnets, but the nest was occupied. In 2006 a pair of swans built a nest under the willow tree at the south west corner of the inner mound, raising 5 cygnets.

Opening hours are as follows: Monday to Saturday 9.30am to 7pm and Sunday 2 to 7pm. Closed Thursday afternoons and Fridays during the winter. Telephone 01700 502691.