Threave Castle

Threave Castle
Near Castle Douglas, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland
Threave Castle from the southeast, looking from the across the River Dee
Threave Castle from the south, showing the curtain wall tower in front of the main keep
Threave Castle
Coordinates	54°56′21″N 3°58′11″W / 54.9392°N 3.9697°W / 54.9392; -3.9697
Type	Keep
Height	21m
Site information
Owner	Historic Scotland
Controlled by	Earls of Douglas
Open to the public	Yes
Condition	Ruined
Site history
Built	c.1370
Built by	Archibald Douglas
In use	Until 17thC & again early 19thC
Materials	Stone

Threave (or Thrieve, or Treve) Castle is situated on an island in the River Dee, 2.5 km (1.5miles) west of Castle Douglas in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. It was the home of 'Black' Douglas Earls of Douglas from the late 14th century until their fall in 1455.

The island was probably inhabited from the 6th century, and the name is most likely derived from the Old Welsh Tref, meaning homestead. It is possible that Fergus of Galloway built a timber castle on the island after 1000, but it was burned in 1308 by Edward Bruce.

Threave Castle was built in the 1370s by Archibald Douglas, "the Grim", later the third Earl of Douglas, soon after he was created Lord of Galloway in 1369. A small collection of buildings was built around the main keep, including a hall and chapel. Threave Castle became Archibald's stronghold and he died there in 1400. His son Archibald married Princess Margaret, daughter of Robert III of Scotland.

Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Douglas, was appointed Regent to the infant King James II in 1437. Archibald died in 1439 and in the ensuing power struggle his 16-year-old son William was murdered at Edinburgh Castle, in 1440. Threave passed, with the Lordship of Galloway, to his sister Margaret, the "Fair Maid of Galloway".

William Douglas, 8th Earl of Douglas married Margaret, his cousin, in order to retrieve Galloway for the Douglases. He began a series of improvements to the Castle's fortifications in 1447, demolishing the earlier outbuildings and constructing a defensive wall along the river bank closest to the keep. In 1452 Patrick Maclellan of Bombie was imprisoned and murdered by the 8th Earl, against the order of James II. The deed was reciprocated the same year, when James II murdered William Douglas at Stirling Castle.