Langholm Castle and Clan Armstrong Centre

[cessna152towser]

The Clan Armstrong centre is located in a former church at Langholm, close to Langholm Castle.

Inside the centre is a small museum

The Clan Armstrong museum tells the story of the Border Reivers with particular emphasis on the Armstrongs.

An Armstrong standard

Lunar tartan anyone? - woven to commemorate Neil Armstrong's moon landing.

Some of the goodies on sale in their wee shop.

A model of Langholm Castle in its heyday.

[cessna152towser]

So lets take a walk outside and see what's left of the castle today.

The castle is situated inside the modern horse race course, grazed by some raw material for next year's kilts.

The castle dates from 1528 and was the home of Christopher Armstrong, brother of Johnnie Armstrong of Gilnockie Tower.

The Duke of Buccleuch granted the land for the castle to Armstrong, in exchange for protection against the English, and to this day the land is still part of the Buccleuch Estates.

Whats a government sett doing in the house of Armstrong?

Inside the castle

This is about the highest part of the remaining structure.

Although only one end of the castle is still standing, the remaining bases of the thick stone walls can be traced among the trees off to the right.

[brandycr]

Cool love history and stuff like this .It amazes me .

[Robin]

Thanks for posting Alex!

[AtagahiKC]

Great pics from the Borderlands, Alex. Thanks for sharing!

[AllenJ]

love Border history! Thanks for sharing

[CelticRanger66]

Great Pics !! Keep posting them! CR66

[Pour1Malt]

guid oan ya Alex!

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Thanks for posting those pictures, Alex. When my new bride and I visited Scotland on our honeymoon seven years ago, Langholm was one of the first towns we stayed in. It was in March, however, and the Armstrong Heritage Center was closed, so all we got to see was the outside (looked very much like the picture of you in the parking lot!).

We also got to see the castle (there was no fence around it at that time). Though this was during the height of the foot & mouth disease, and we really were not supposed to be out in the field. We had no idea at the time. The signs telling us not to walk out into the field were printed so small and were posted by the entrance to the parking lot, so we just drove past them unknowingly!

After walking out to the Castle, taking a few photographs, then walking back to our car, we ran into a local driving up the road who graciously informed us that had the polis found us we'd be subject to a £5000 fine -- each!

So, with a £10,000 bounty on our heads we hopped in out little hired Vauxhall and high-tailed it out of Langholm! :-) Didn't know I was a fugative, did you? lol...

In any case, my maternal grandmother's maiden name is Armstrong, so I appreciate finally getting to see the inside of the Centre. Here's a pic of my in my Armstrong kilt from Tartan Day a couple of years ago. Even though this is one of the kilts I wear most often, I really don't have that many good pictures of me in it. I need to remedy that!

[McClef]

I passed through Langholm last week the day before meeting you Alex but didn't stop as was concentrating on trying to overtake the slow lorry in front of me!

Will stop next time for a closer look as it's the birthplace of Hugh McDiarmidh