The Historic Scotland Agency Safeguarded the Nation's Built Heritage

This website has been preserved and archived as supplemental material for Janet Scott's European History course Scotland's Place in the UK. In addition to her love of history, Dr. Scott has been an advocate of more regulation of Google and other large US tech businesses operating in the EU. She received some notoriety when she advocated on behalf of a highly specialized service that addresses reputational damage due to search publicity - basically removing a problem Google result. The expertise involved is reverse search engine optimization because they will remove a harmful search result by pushing it down in rank. Critics objected to third parties manipulating search results, but as Scott points out, that is exactly what SEOs do. And in cases where Google is harming people due to what their search results show there has to be a remedy. And there is one that works in Scotland.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Historic Scotland, an Agency within the Scottish Executive Education Department was directly responsible to Scottish Ministers for safeguarding the nation's built heritage, and promoting its understanding and enjoyment. In December 2010 these functions were taken on by the Learning and Justice Directorates. For a number of years this was the Historic Scotland Agency's website.
Content is from the site's 2002 archived pages showing just a few of the historic castles found in Scotland as well as other outside sources.

Go to the Historic Scotland facebook page for current posts at https://www.facebook.com/visithistoricscotland/

Historic Scotland is an organisation responsible for the upkeep, protection and promotion of over 300 heritage sites throughout Scotland, which are open to the public.

Historic Scotland safeguards the nation's built heritage by scheduling monuments of national importance and by listing historic buildings of special architectural or historic interest. Scheduled monuments, listed buildings, and buildings in conservation areas, are protected by legislation and consent is normally required before any alteration or development can take place. The agency conserves properties in its care and provides financial assistance to private owners towards the costs of conserving and repairing outstanding monuments and buildings.

Historic Scotland leads in researching issues relating to building conservation and in developing and promoting craft skills. The agency carries out specialised conservation work and is active in raising the standard of conservation practice among owners, and trade and professional groups.

Historic Scotland has more than 300 properties in its care and welcomes around 2.9 million visitors each year to over 70 properties where admission is charged. The agency has a commitment to encourage knowledge about Scotland's built heritage and provides guidebooks and other publications, and educational material relating to the school curricular guidelines.

Historic Scotland was created as an agency in 1991 and was attached to the Scottish Executive Education Department, which embraces all aspects of the cultural heritage, in May 1999. As part of the Scottish Executive Historic Scotland is directly accountable to Scottish Ministers for safeguarding the nation's built heritage, and promoting its understanding and enjoyment.

Castle, Palaces & Houses

BOTHWELL CASTLE,UDDINGSTON

/images/bothwell-castle.jpg

/images/Bothwell-Castle-1.jpg

The largest and finest 13th-century stone castle in Scotland, much fought over during the Wars of Independence. Part of the original circular keep survives. It is a large medieval castle sited on a high, steep bank, above a bend in the River Clyde, in South Lanarkshire, Scotland.
At Uddingston off the B7071. Tel: 01698 816894
Open all year (Winter: closed Thurs. afternoons and Fri.)

Car Park
Coach Parking
Toilets
Exhibition
Shop
Inspected and Commended by the Scottish Tourist Board

ABERDOUR CASTLE

A 14th-century castle built by the Douglas family. The gallery on the first floor gives an idea of how it was furnished at the time. The castle has a delightful walled garden and dovecote. Parts of the castle date from around 1200, making Aberdour one of the two oldest datable standing castles in Scotland, along with Castle Sween in Argyll, which was built at around the same time.
In Aberdour, 5m E of the Forth Bridges on the A921. Tel: 01383 860519
Open all year (Winter: closed Thurs. afternoons and Fri.)

Car Park
Coach Parking
Handicap Toilets
Exhibition
Shop
Inspected and Commended by the Scottish Tourist Board

BISHOP'S AND EARL'S PALACES

The Bishop's Palace is a 12th-century hall-house, later much altered, with a round tower built by Bishop Reid in 1541-48. The notorious Patrick Stewart, Earl of Orkney, built the adjacent Earl's Palace between 1600 and 1607. The Earl's Palace is a ruined Renaissance-style palace near St Magnus's Cathedral in the centre of Kirkwall, Orkney, Scotland. Built by Patrick, Earl of Orkney, its construction began in 1607 and was largely undertaken via forced labour. Today, the ruins are open to the publicJoint ticket for all Orkney monuments.
In Kirkwall on the A960. Tel: 01856 875461
Open all year (Winter: closed Thurs. afternoons and Fri.)

Car Park
Coach Parking
Toilets
Exhibition
Visitor's Center
Wheelchair Access
Refreshments
Shop
Inspected and Commended by the Scottish Tourist Board

CAERLAVEROCK CASTLE

Caerlaverock (Lark's Nest), one of Scotland's finest castles, is everyone's idea of a medieval fortress. It is a moated triangular castle first built in the 13th century.The scene of two famous sieges this moated castle has a children's adventure park, model siege engine and nature trail in its grounds.
Video presentation available.
8m SE of Dumfries on the B725. Tel: 01387 770244
Open all year.

Car Park
Coach Parking
Toilets/ Disabled Toilets
Exhibition
Visitor's Center
Wheelchair Access
Refreshments
Picnic Area
Shop
Inspected and Commended by the Scottish Tourist Board

CRAIGMILLAR CASTLE

Craigmillar Castle is a ruined medieval castle in Edinburgh, Scotland.Mary Queen of Scots fled to Craigmillar after the murder of Rizzio and it was here that the plot was hatched for the murder of her husband Lord Darnley. This handsome structure with courtyard and gardens covers an area of one and a quarter acres. The Castle is featured in the BBC production of Ivanhoe.
2.5m SE of Edinburgh off the A68. Tel: 0131 661 4445
Open all year. (Winter: closed Thurs. afternoons and Fri.)

Car Park
Coach Parking
Exhibition
Inspected and Commended by the Scottish Tourist Board

CRAIGNETHAN CASTLE

Craignethan Castle is a ruined castle in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. In a picturesque setting overlooking the River Nethan, the oldest part of the castle is a tower house built by Sir James Hamilton of Finnart in the 16th century. The castle's extensive defences include a caponier, a stone vaulted artillery chamber, unique in Britain.
5.5m WNW of Lanark off the A72. Tel: 01555 860364
Open all summer seven days a week. Also open in March and October except for Thurs. afternoons and Fri.

Car Park
Toilets
Exhibition
Refreshments
Inspected and Commended by the Scottish Tourist Board

EDZELL CASTLE AND GARDEN

Edzell Castle is a ruined 16th-century castle, with an early-17th-century walled garden. The beautiful walled garden at Edzell is one of Scotland's unique sights, created by Sir David Lindsay in 1604. The "Pleasance" is a delightful formal garden with walls decorated with sculptured stone panels, flower boxes and niches for nesting birds. Visitor Centre. The chequered arrangement of blue and white lobelia in the wall recesses reflect the heraldic colours of the Lindsays and the dwarf box hedge borders are cut to give the family mottoes.
At Edzell 6m N of Brechin on the B966. Tel: 01356 648631
Open all year (Winter: closed Thurs. afternoons and Fri.)

Car Park
Coach Parking
Toilets/ Disabled Toilets
Exhibition
Wheelchair Access
Picnic Area
Inspected and Commended by the Scottish Tourist Board

DIRLETON CASTLE & GARDENS

Dirleton Castle is a medieval fortress in the village of Dirleton, East Lothian, Scotland. The oldest parts of the castle date to the 13th century, and it was abandoned by the end of the 17th century. A romantic castle often in the forefront of Scottish history since it was built in the 12th century. The renowned gardens, added in the 16th century, include an Arts and Crafts herbaceous border and Victorian garden.
In Dirleton village 3m W of North Berwick on the A198. Tel: 01620 850330.
Open all year.

Car Park
Coach Parking
Shop
Exhibition
Inspected and Commended by the Scottish Tourist Board

DUMBARTON CASTLE

Dumbarton Castle has the longest recorded history of any stronghold in Scotland. Site of the ancient capital of Strathclyde, Mary Queen of Scots sailed to France from here as a child in 1548. The castle is spectacularly sited on a plug of volcanic basalt known as Dumbarton Rock which is 240 feet high overlooking the River Clyde. Displays in Governor's House.
In Dumbarton on the A82. Tel: 01389 732167
Open all year (Winter: closed Thurs. afternoons and Fri.)

Car Park
Toilets
Shop
Exhibition
Inspected and Commended by the Scottish Tourist Board

HERMITAGE CASTLE

/images/Hermitage-Castle-3.jpg

Hermitage Castle is a semi-ruined castle in the border region of Scotland. It is under the care of Historic Scotland. The castle has a reputation, both from its history and its appearance, as one of the most sinister and atmospheric in Scotland. A vast, eerie fortress at the heart of many of the bloodiest events in the history of the Borders. Mary Queen of Scots made her famous ride here to visit her future husband, the Earl of Bothwell.
5.5m NE of Newcastleton, B6399. Tel: 013873 76222
Open summer only.

Car Park
Coach Parking
Inspected and Commended by the Scottish Tourist Board

More Background On Historic-Scotland.net

Historic-Scotland.net emerged during the early era of public-sector digital publishing, when government agencies and academic institutions were beginning to recognize the internet’s potential as a tool for heritage education, tourism promotion, and archival preservation. The website served as an online companion to Scotland’s official heritage preservation efforts, offering public access to curated historical information about castles, monuments, palaces, and culturally significant structures across the country.

Unlike modern tourism websites that prioritize marketing or ticket sales, Historic-Scotland.net was fundamentally educational in nature. Its purpose was to document, explain, and contextualize Scotland’s built heritage while making authoritative historical material accessible to students, educators, travelers, and heritage professionals alike.

The site functioned as a digital extension of Scotland’s heritage stewardship infrastructure at a time when few government agencies had yet fully embraced the web as a public-facing educational platform.

Ownership and Institutional Context

Historic-Scotland.net was associated with Historic Scotland, the executive agency formerly responsible for the protection and promotion of Scotland’s historic environment. Historic Scotland operated under the Scottish Executive (later the Scottish Government) and was formally tasked with safeguarding nationally important monuments and buildings.

The agency was founded in 1991 and functioned as the government’s central body for:

Managing state-owned historic properties
Overseeing conservation and restoration projects
Regulating listed buildings and scheduled monuments
Funding heritage research and preservation
Educating the public on Scotland’s architectural history

Historic-Scotland.net acted as a web-based information portal during the early 2000s, when many public institutions were transitioning from print-based brochures and guidebooks to digital archives.

In later years, Historic Scotland’s responsibilities were merged into Historic Environment Scotland (HES), which now oversees heritage conservation, tourism engagement, and archival research.

Geographic Scope and Coverage

The website focused exclusively on Scotland’s built environment, covering locations throughout:

The Scottish Lowlands
The Highlands
The Islands (Orkney, Skye, Lewis, and others)
Central Scotland
Border regions

Rather than emphasizing major cities alone, Historic-Scotland.net gave equal attention to rural castles, remote fortifications, religious ruins, and lesser-known historic sites. This approach reflected the agency’s mandate to preserve national heritage, not just tourist landmarks.

Each entry typically included:

Historical background
Architectural significance
Geographic location and access notes
Visitor information
Conservation status
Cultural or political relevance

Historical Significance of the Website

Historic-Scotland.net appeared during a pivotal period for digital heritage preservation. In the early 2000s, few heritage organizations had digitized their archives or made interpretive materials available online in structured formats.

The site became notable for:

Offering long-form historical descriptions
Presenting academic-quality writing in public language
Acting as a reference for educators and students
Supporting cultural tourism without commercial emphasis

Its content often mirrored or expanded upon printed guidebooks produced by Historic Scotland, but with the advantage of searchable organization and wider reach.

Over time, the website itself became an artifact of early public-sector web design, reflecting the aesthetics and priorities of early government digital initiatives.

Content Structure and Organization

The site organized its material primarily by site type and geographic region, with castles forming the backbone of its content.

Common Sections Included:

Castles and fortifications
Palaces and royal residences
Abbeys and religious structures
Defensive sites and border strongholds
Gardens and designed landscapes
Archaeological remains

Each entry followed a relatively consistent editorial structure:

Historical overview
Architectural description
Political or cultural context
Visitor information
Preservation notes

The tone was informative rather than promotional, making the site particularly useful for academic reference and historical research.

Educational Role and Academic Use

One of the most significant aspects of Historic-Scotland.net was its use in education. The site was referenced in:

University history courses
Secondary school curricula
Cultural studies programs
Tourism and heritage management training

The site gained additional visibility through its association with academic coursework, including European history programs focused on Scotland’s political and architectural evolution.

It also served as an early example of how public heritage bodies could contribute to digital learning well before online education became mainstream.

Cultural and Social Significance

Historic-Scotland.net contributed to a broader cultural shift in how heritage was understood and accessed. Rather than positioning historic sites as static tourist attractions, the site emphasized:

Historical continuity
Cultural identity
Social change
Architectural evolution
Conservation ethics

This approach aligned with Scotland’s growing emphasis on heritage as a living national asset rather than a static museum concept.

The site also helped international audiences understand Scotland beyond stereotypes, presenting detailed narratives of medieval governance, clan systems, religious influence, and military history.

Role in Heritage Conservation Awareness

Beyond education, the site played an important role in promoting conservation awareness. It explained:

Why certain buildings were protected
How listing and scheduling worked
The legal frameworks surrounding heritage preservation
The importance of skilled restoration practices

This transparency helped demystify heritage protection and encouraged public support for preservation funding.

It also reinforced the idea that historic conservation was not simply aesthetic, but a legal and cultural responsibility.

Popularity and Audience

At its peak, Historic-Scotland.net attracted a diverse audience:

Students and educators
Heritage tourists
Academic researchers
Architecture enthusiasts
Genealogists
Local history groups
International visitors planning travel

The site was especially popular with overseas users researching Scottish ancestry or planning heritage travel.

Its straightforward design and non-commercial tone made it trustworthy and easy to navigate.

Media and Institutional Recognition

While not heavily promoted in mass media, Historic-Scotland.net was frequently referenced in:

Educational syllabi
Cultural heritage bibliographies
Tourism planning materials
Academic footnotes
Archival citations

Its content was often mirrored or cited by regional heritage groups and independent historians.

As government digital platforms evolved, the site was archived rather than actively maintained, preserving its historical value.

Transition and Archival Preservation

Following the restructuring of Scotland’s heritage bodies and the creation of Historic Environment Scotland, the original Historic-Scotland.net website was retired.

It was preserved through:

Web archiving initiatives
Educational mirrors
Institutional backups
Archive.org snapshots

This preservation reflects its continued value as a record of early digital heritage communication.

Why Historic-Scotland.net Still Matters

Even today, the site remains important for several reasons:

Historical Record – It documents how heritage interpretation evolved online.
Educational Value – Its writing remains useful for researchers and students.
Preservation Ethics – It reflects best practices in heritage communication.
Cultural Memory – It preserves interpretations absent from modern tourism platforms.
Digital Heritage – It represents early government use of the internet as a public good.

Unlike modern tourism platforms, the site emphasized scholarship over sales and education over promotion.

Legacy and Influence

Historic-Scotland.net helped set standards later adopted by heritage organizations across the UK and Europe. Its influence can be seen in:

Modern museum websites
Heritage databases
Digital archaeology platforms
Public history portals
University-hosted cultural archives

Its approach anticipated today’s emphasis on open cultural data and public access to heritage resources.

In many ways, it served as a bridge between traditional academic publishing and modern digital heritage engagement.

Historic-Scotland.net stands as a quietly important chapter in the digital preservation of cultural heritage. Though no longer actively maintained, its role in documenting Scotland’s architectural legacy and educating the public remains significant.

The site represents a moment when government, education, and technology converged to make history accessible beyond museum walls. Its legacy continues through archival preservation and the institutions that followed its example.

For researchers, historians, educators, and cultural enthusiasts, Historic-Scotland.net remains a valuable reference point—a reminder of how thoughtfully designed digital resources can deepen public understanding of history while preserving it for future generations.

Historic-Scotland.net