Dundaff Castle

The remains of Dundaff Castle, also known as “Sir John de Grahams Castle” are on forestry commission land in the Carron Valley west of Falkirk. They consist of an impressive square ditch containing a platform with slightly raised rampart within, but most of the upcast material from the ditch has been used to create a more impressive scarp to the exterior. Outside this are remnants of stone walls suggesting a courtyard at a slight angle to the platform, and the whole complex is set on the end of a ridge of high ground with extensive views over Strathcarron.

The castle is an impressively defensive moated manor, and was only ever defended with a timber palisade – the central platform probably contained a hall and perhaps stables and a kitchen. Dundaff and Strathcarron was granted to the earl of Dunbar in 1235, and then exchanged for lands in Galloway which Dunbar had previously granted to David de Graham. The Grahams play a prominent and heroic part in Blind Hary’s “Wallace” and certainly fought against the English at Dunbar, but may have played a more equivocal role alongside Robert Bruce afterwards. Probably burned out in the first half of the 14th century, it is likely that Dundaff stood unoccupied for years afterwards before the new manorial buildings were erected outside the old castle ditch.

HES Canmore database entry
Forestry Commission entry on the castle
Clan Graham Society page on the legend of John de Graeme