Editing Caerlaverock Castle (section)

==History==
[[File:Old carlaverock castle.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|right|View of one of the northern towers of the old, early 13th-century castle]]

The present castle was preceded by several fortifications in the area: a Roman fort on Ward Law Hill and a British hill fort that was in use around 950. The chronicles in the 12th-century ''[[Annales Cambriæ]]'' state that King [[Gwenddoleu ap Ceidio]] died nearby at the [[Battle of Arfderydd|Battle of Arthuret]] in 573. His death triggered his bard [[Myrddin Wyllt]] to go insane and retreat into the woods, an act that later inspired the character of [[Merlin]] in [[Matter of Britain|Arthurian legend]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Castleden |first1=Rodney |title=The Castles of Britain and Ireland |date=2013 |publisher=Quercus Publishing}}</ref>

The Maxwell family can be traced back to Undwin and his son Maccus in the 11th century; Maccus gave his name to the barony of Maccuswell or Maxwell. His grandson, John de Maccuswell (d. 1241), was first Lord Maxwell of Caerlaverock. The Baronies of Maxwell and Caerlaverock then passed down through the male line, sometimes collaterally. Robert de Maxwell of Maxwell, Caerlaverock and Mearns (d. 1409) rebuilt Caerlaverock castle and was succeeded by Herbert Maxwell of Caerlaverock (d. 1420).

The earliest mention of the lands of Caerlaverock is around 1160, when they were granted to the monks of [[Holm Cultram Abbey]].<ref name=BOS140>Gifford 1996, p.140</ref> Around 1220 [[Alexander II of Scotland]] granted the lands to Sir John Maxwell, making him Warden of the West March. Sir John Maxwell also served as [[Chamberlain of Scotland]] from 1231 to 1233,<ref name=BOS140/> and began work on the first castle at Caerlaverock. This castle was square in shape and was one of the earliest stone castles to be built in Scotland. It had a moat with a bridge facing north. Only the foundations and remains of a wooden enclosure around it remain.<ref name="HSwebsite">{{cite web |url=http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/propertyresults/propertyabout.htm?PropID=PL_047&PropName=Caerlaverock%20Castle |title= Caerlaverock Castle: About the Property |publisher= Historic Scotland |access-date=16 May 2010}}</ref>

This early castle may have been incomplete when it was abandoned in favour of a rock outcrop some {{convert|200|m}} to the north. It was here that Sir John's brother Sir Aymer Maxwell began construction of the present castle. Sir Aymer also served as Chamberlain in 1258–1260, and was [[Justiciar]] of Galloway in 1264.<ref name=BOS140/> In the 1270s the "new" castle was completed, and Herbert Maxwell, nephew of John Maxwell, occupied it.
[[File:Jacobite_broadside_-_Caerlaverock_Castle.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Historic view of Caerlaverock Castle]]
When the moat around the second castle was dug, the quarrying was probably a source of building stone for the castle.<ref>Wilson & Hurst 1957, p. 158</ref> While the gatehouse stands on natural rock, the rest of the castle was built on a clay platform created especially for the castle.<ref>Wilson & Hurst 1959, p. 308</ref>

===Wars of independence===
In 1299, the garrison of Caerlaverock attacked [[Lochmaben Castle]] which was held by English forces.

====Siege of Caerlaverock====
[[File:Caerlaverock Castle by Joseph Mallord William Turner - Joseph Mallord William Turner - ABDAG000623.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|right|Caerlaverock Castle by [[J. M. W. Turner]], c.1832]]
[[File:Caerlaverock Castle 2016.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|The castle from the south-west in 2016]]
In July 1300 King [[Edward I of England]] marched north with an army including eighty-seven of the Barons of England and several knights of [[Brittany]] and [[Lorraine (province)|Lorraine]], and besieged Caerlaverock. Those present on the English side included [[Henry de Lacy, 3rd Earl of Lincoln|Henry de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln]]; [[Robert FitzWalter, 1st Baron FitzWalter|Robert FitzWalter]]; [[Humphrey de Bohun, 4th Earl of Hereford|Humphrey de Bohun, Earl of Hereford]]; [[John Segrave, 2nd Baron Segrave|John, Baron Segrave]]; [[Guy de Beauchamp, 10th Earl of Warwick|Guy de Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick]]; [[John of Brittany, Earl of Richmond]]; [[Patrick IV, Earl of March|Patrick, Earl of March]] and his [[Patrick V, Earl of March|son]]; [[Edward II of England|Prince Edward]] (the future Edward II); [[Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster|Thomas, Earl of Lancaster]], and his brother [[Henry, 3rd Earl of Lancaster|Henry]]; [[Richard Fitzalan, 1st Earl of Arundel|Richard Fitzalan, Earl of Arundel]]; and [[Antony Bek (bishop of Durham)|Antony Bek, Bishop of Durham]]. The Maxwells, under their chief Sir Eustace Maxwell, mounted a vigorous defence of the castle which repelled the English several times. In the end, the garrison was compelled to surrender, after which it was found that only sixty men had withstood the whole English army for a considerable period.

{{Anchor|Roll}}During the siege the English heralds composed a [[roll of arms]] in [[Old French]] verse, known as the ''Siege of Caerlaverock'', in which each noble or knight present was named, his feats of valour described, and a poetic [[blazon]] of his [[Coat of arms|armorial bearings]] given.<ref>Nicholas 1828.</ref><ref>Wright 1864.</ref><ref>Brault 1973.</ref><ref>[https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Roll_of_Caerlaverock/The_Roll Wikisource: The Roll of Caerlaverock]</ref>

===Recovery===
Possession of the castle was subsequently restored to Sir Eustace Maxwell, Sir Herbert's son, who at first embraced the cause of [[John Balliol]], and in 1312 received from Edward II an allowance of £20 for the more secure keeping of the castle. He afterwards gave in his adherence to [[Robert I of Scotland|Robert Bruce]], and his castle, in consequence, underwent a second siege by the English, in which they were unsuccessful. Fearing that this important stronghold might ultimately fall into the hands of the enemy, and enable them to make good their hold on the district, Sir Eustace [[slighting|dismantled]] the fortress, service and sacrifice for which he was liberally rewarded by Robert Bruce.

By 1337 the castle was once again inhabited, and Sir Eustace now changed sides again, giving his support to [[Edward Balliol]]. Around 1355 Sir Roger Kirkpatrick of [[Closeburn Castle|Closeburn]] captured Caerlaverock for [[David II of Scotland]], and partly dismantled the castle.<ref name=BOS141>Gifford 1996, p.141</ref>

===Repair and rebuilding===
[[File:Cael8.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|right|View showing the latter addition to the castle at the north end of the Inner Court]]

By the end of the Wars of Independence in the mid-14th century, Caerlaverock had been regained by the Maxwells, with Sir Robert Maxwell rebuilding much of the castle between 1373 and 1410.<ref name=BOS141/> Further work was undertaken by Robert, 2nd [[Lord Maxwell]], in the mid-15th century, probably involving reconstruction of the gatehouse. A new west range was added within the walls around 1500.<ref name=BOS141/>

The Catholic Maxwells took up the cause of [[Mary, Queen of Scots]], after her forced abdication in 1567. Caerlaverock was besieged in 1570 by an English Protestant force led by the [[Thomas Radclyffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex|Earl of Sussex]], and was again partly demolished, including the destruction of the gatehouse with gunpowder.<ref name=BOS141/>

By 1593, [[John Maxwell, 8th Lord Maxwell|John, 8th Lord Maxwell]] was repairing the castle again, building up the gatehouse for defence against the Johnstones of Annandale, with whom the Maxwells were feuding.<ref name=BOS141/> The 8th Lord was killed by the Johnstones during a fight at Dryfe Sands, and in 1613 the [[John Maxwell, 9th Lord Maxwell|9th Lord Maxwell]] was executed for the revenge murder of Sir James Johnstone.

===Earls of Nithsdale===
In 1619 [[Robert Maxwell, 1st Earl of Nithsdale|Robert, 10th Lord Maxwell]], married Elizabeth Beaumont, cousin of the [[George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham|Duke of Buckingham]], a [[favourite]] of [[James VI of Scotland]]. He was subsequently made [[Earl of Nithsdale]] and appointed to the [[Privy Council of Scotland]]. To reflect his new status he built the elaborate south and east ranges within the castle, known as the Nithsdale Lodging.<ref name=BOS141/>

[[File:CaerlaverockCastle1900.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|left|Caerlaverock Castle in 1900]]
The new ranges were completed around 1634. Nithsdale was at Caerlaverock in August 1637, and wrote to [[Sir Richard Graham, 1st Baronet|Sir Richard Graham]] asking for dogs for hunting and breeding.<ref>''HMC 6th Report: Graham'' (London, 1877), p. 335.</ref> Religious turmoil soon turned against the staunchly Catholic Maxwells. In 1640 the Protestant [[Covenanter]] army besieged Caerlaverock for 13 weeks, eventually forcing its surrender. According to [[Henry Vane the Elder|Sir Henry Vane]], the Earl and Countess of Nithsdale and their page were allowed to leave, but 40 defenders called Maxwell were put to the sword.<ref>''Calendar State Papers Domestic: 1640–1641'', vol. 17 (London, 1882), p. 84: TNA SP16/467/26.</ref> The south wall and tower were demolished, and the castle was never repaired or reoccupied.<ref name=BOS141/>

In the mid 19th century, the castle was in the possession of [[William Constable-Maxwell, 10th Lord Herries of Terregles]] (1804–1876), heir of the 5th Earl of Nithsdale.<ref>[[L. G. Pine]], ''The New Extinct Peerage 1884-1971: Containing Extinct, Abeyant, Dormant and Suspended Peerages With Genealogies and Arms'' (London: Heraldry Today, 1972), p. 146</ref>