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Fast Castle is a medieval fortress occupying a dramatic promontory on the Berwickshire coast near Dowlaw in Roxburghshire, Scotland. The castle dates primarily to the sixteenth century, though the site may have earlier defensive occupation, and comprises the remains of stone fortifications built to command the rocky headland. Its strategic coastal position made it a significant stronghold during the turbulent Anglo-Scottish border period, and the castle featured in historical events connected to the Scottish Reformation and local border raids. The site today presents substantial ruins of masonry walls and associated defensive structures, with the natural geography of the cliff-bound promontory forming an integral part of its defensive scheme.
Fast Castle,950m NNE of Dowlaw is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM4328. View the official record →
Fast Castle is a medieval fortress occupying a dramatic promontory on the Berwickshire coast near Dowlaw in Roxburghshire, Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM4328.
Fast Castle,950m NNE of Dowlaw is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic Environment Scotland — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Scotland. The official designation reference is SM4328.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Atton, settlement 570m N of (6.5 km), Greenwood, settlement 270m SE of (7.1 km), Whitecross, settlement 255m WSW of (7.8 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Fast Castle,950m NNE of Dowlaw's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Fast Castle,950m NNE of Dowlaw stands on Early Carboniferous limestone, bedrock that formed in the Early Carboniferous. The rock here is major:{limestone}, Minor{claystone,siltstone}.