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The ancient castle of Coulthalley has had a colorful history, and only fragments of it remain today.
Just over a mile north-west of Carnwath in South Lanarkshire, the 12th century castle was originally the property of the Somerville family.
It is believed that they moved from their family seat at Carnwath in the early 1300's and built a large courtyard, surrounded by three shallow moats.
Within its walls they built an L-plan tower house, gatehouse and several towers positioned along the courtyard's outer defences, which were more than 60ft across at their widest point.
In 1320 the castle was besieged and burned down by the English army, but the Somervilles rebuilt it half-a-century later and, during the 15th century, undertook major extension work.
When this was completed by the beginning of the 16th century, two large square towers and a round one had been added to it.
Again, the castle run out of luck - it was besieged anew in 1557 and was partially destroyed.
In the 1560's, while the family were again rebuilding the castle, it was visited by James V and Mary Queen of Scots, and a few years later by her son, James VI.
The Somervilles eventually returned Coulthalley to its former glory in the mid-1580's, despite having moved their main family residence to Midlothian.
During the Jacobite rebellion of 1715, James Somerville, 13th Baron, sided with the Hanoverian forces at Prestonpans and Falkirk.
Coulthalley Castle fell into ruin from the late 19th century after the demise of the Somervilles.

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