Rothesay Castle is a ruined 13th-century castle on the Isle of Bute with the only circular curtain wall in Scotland. It was probably built by Walter, 3rd High Steward of Scotland, was captured by Norwegian forces in 1230 and 1263, and later became a royal castle of the Stewart kings. Historic Environment Scotland cares for it, and it stands in Rothesay town centre. Adult tickets cost £7.50 online.
History of Rothesay Castle
Walter Stewart and the Circular Castle
Walter, 3rd High Steward of Scotland, probably built the sandstone curtain wall that still dominates Rothesay Castle, according to Historic Environment Scotland (HES). The castle answered a Norwegian threat. In 1098 King Edgar surrendered the Hebrides, Bute included, to Norway after centuries of Viking pressure, and by about 1200 Walter’s father, Alan, 2nd High Steward, had retaken the island. HES dates Walter’s first stone castle to the early 1200s and calls Rothesay unusual among Scottish castles for both its early date and its circular plan.
Haakon IV and the Norse Sieges of 1230 and 1263
Haakon IV of Norway ordered his followers to sail into the Clyde and take Rothesay in 1230, and HES records that they did so after a three-day siege and heavy loss of life, before being forced to retreat. The Norse came back in 1263, this time led by the king himself, and retook the castle. HES says they would probably have done more damage had a violent storm not scattered their longships. After that siege the Stewarts added four projecting towers to stop the castle falling into enemy hands again, though HES notes the towers were never put to the test.
The Battle of Largs and the Return of the Hebrides
The Battle of Largs, which HES describes as an inconclusive skirmish, brought Haakon IV’s 1263 campaign to an end, and the Norse retreated. Haakon died in the Bishop’s Palace at Kirkwall on his way home. Three years later his son Magnus handed the Hebrides back to Alexander III, according to HES.
The Stewarts: From High Stewards to Kings
The Stewarts began as hereditary high stewards, a title passed down through the family whose holders managed the king’s household and estates, HES explains. When David II died in 1371, the throne passed to his nephew Robert Stewart, 7th High Steward, the son of Walter Stewart and of Marjorie Bruce, Robert the Bruce’s daughter. Robert became the first monarch of the Stewart dynasty, and HES records that Rothesay was a royal castle from 1371.
James IV, James V and the Royal Castle
HES records that Rothesay was given a makeover in the later 1400s, once it was a royal castle, with major works by James IV and James V that added the great gatehouse and St Michael’s Chapel in the courtyard. The castle then fell into decline and was left in ruins.
The Marquesses of Bute and the Restoration
The Crichton Stuarts, Marquesses of Bute, restored the ruined castle in the 1800s as its keepers, and HES credits them with giving it much of the appearance it has today. The great hall in the gatehouse, restored in 1900, now holds displays about the castle and its royal owners.
The Duke of Rothesay Title
The title Duke of Rothesay is still held by the heir to the throne, HES notes. Debrett’s records that it was first conferred in 1398 by Robert III on his son David, and that an Act of the Scottish Parliament in 1469 confirmed it as the title of the monarch’s eldest son and heir apparent. When the Prince of Wales is in Scotland, Debrett’s says, he is traditionally styled Duke of Rothesay.
Visiting Rothesay Castle: Practical Information
Rothesay Castle Opening Times
| Period | Hours |
|---|---|
| 1 April to 30 September | Daily, 9.30am to 5pm |
| 1 October to 31 March | Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, 10am to 4pm; closed Thursday and Friday |
Last entry: 30 minutes before closing.
Lunch: The castle closes from 12 noon to 1pm.
Closed: 24 December to 4 January.
Conservation work: A small amount of scaffolding is in place while conservation work is carried out, but HES says access is not restricted.
Rothesay Castle Tickets
| Ticket | Online (best value) | In person |
|---|---|---|
| Adult (16-64) | £7.50 | £8.50 |
| Concession (65+) | £6.00 | £6.80 |
| Child (7-15) | £3.50 | £4.00 |
| Member | Free | Free |
Passes: Historic Scotland members go free, and Explorer Pass holders get free entry for 14 consecutive days.
Discounts: Scots aged 7 to 25 with a Young Scot or National Entitlement Card pay £1. Members of English Heritage, Cadw and Manx National Heritage get free or discounted entry. Family tickets are offered when booking.
Carers: Visitors with disabilities pay the standard rate, and up to two accompanying carers go free per booking.
Getting to Rothesay Castle
Address: Castlehill Street, Rothesay, Isle of Bute, PA20 0DA. National Grid reference NS 088 645. Telephone 01700 504 827.
By train and ferry: There is no railway on Bute. The nearest mainland station is Wemyss Bay, next to the CalMac ferry port, and the crossing to Rothesay takes about 35 minutes. Check the CalMac timetable for sailing times.
From the ferry: The castle is in Rothesay town centre, and HES puts the Rothesay ferry terminal about 200 metres away.
By car: The site has no visitor parking, only a drop-off point at the entrance.
Accessibility and Facilities
Approach: The castle is reached across a wooden bridge with a slight upward slope.
On site: The courtyard has grass and paved surfaces. The dungeon is down a metal ladder of 10 rungs, and the upper level of the gatehouse is reached by two sets of stairs, one straight and one spiral, which may have uneven steps. The shop has ramped access.
Toilets: The nearest adapted toilet is at the Rothesay ferry terminal, about 200 metres away.
Dogs: Visitors’ dogs are allowed but not in roofed areas. Assistance dogs are permitted everywhere.
Facilities: Shop, toilets and water bottle refill.
What to See at Rothesay Castle
Curtain wall: Scotland’s only circular curtain wall, with four projecting towers.
Great hall: The restored hall in the gatehouse has displays on the castle and its royal owners.
Courtyard: A chapel and a residential tower that was later converted into a dovecot.
Moat: A walk around it gives the best views of the wall, according to HES, and the resident ducks.
Best Time to Visit and Nearby
Best time: From April to September the castle opens daily and for longer, which makes it easier to fit around ferry times.
Nearby: HES lists St Mary’s Chapel in Rothesay (1 mile), St Blane’s Church (7 miles) and Skelmorlie Aisle and Largs Old Parish Church (8 miles).
Prices last checked: October 2026.
Opening hours last checked: October 2026.
Source: Historic Environment Scotland, Rothesay Castle: Plan your visit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Rothesay Castle is in the town centre of Rothesay on the Isle of Bute, at Castlehill Street, PA20 0DA. From the mainland, take the CalMac ferry from Wemyss Bay, where the railway station is next to the port; the crossing takes about 35 minutes, and the Rothesay ferry terminal is about 200 metres from the castle, according to Historic Environment Scotland.
Rothesay Castle’s first stone castle was probably built in the early 1200s by Walter, 3rd High Steward of Scotland. Historic Environment Scotland says the four projecting towers were added after the Norse siege of 1263, and the great gatehouse was added later by the Stewarts.
Adult tickets (16 to 64) cost £7.50 online or £8.50 in person, concessions (65 and over) £6 or £6.80, and children aged 7 to 15 £3.50 or £4. Historic Scotland members go free, Explorer Pass holders get free entry, and Scots aged 7 to 25 with a Young Scot or National Entitlement Card pay £1.
From 1 April to 30 September it is open daily from 9.30am to 5pm. From 1 October to 31 March it is open from 10am to 4pm except on Thursdays and Fridays, when it is closed, and it is also shut from 24 December to 4 January. Last entry is 30 minutes before closing, and the castle closes for lunch from 12 noon to 1pm.
Yes, but not in roofed areas. Historic Environment Scotland allows visitors’ dogs at Rothesay Castle, while assistance dogs are permitted at all its sites, including within roofed areas.
No. Historic Environment Scotland says the Stewarts added the four projecting towers after the Norse siege of 1263 to stop the castle falling into enemy hands again, but the towers were never put to the test. Both Norse captures, in 1230 and 1263, happened before they were built.
That depends on which parts you want to see. The castle is reached across a wooden bridge with a slight upward slope, and the courtyard has grass and paved surfaces, but the dungeon is down a metal ladder of 10 rungs and the upper level of the gatehouse is up two sets of stairs that may have uneven steps. The shop has ramped access, and the nearest adapted toilet is at the Rothesay ferry terminal.
Nearby Chronicle Trails Guides
Elsewhere in Argyll, Kilchurn Castle and Castle Stalker are two more castle guides. Browse more castles and historic attractions, or return to the Scotland hub.
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