While the castle stands there looking all forlorn and ignored there has been a lot of activity going on in the background. Our leaders have been working hard to develop a plan to secure the castle’s future. This article sets out what has been going on and how it has brought us to where we are now as 2026 begins.
Strathaven and Glassford Community Council (S&GCC) has been in discussions with South Lanarkshire Council (SLC) about the condition of the castle for many years and were responsible for preventing partial demolition and securing the future of the castle. Following pressure from S&GCC, SLC undertook a major assessment of the castle in 2017 which recommended a structural assessment and the installation of security fencing around the castle remains. This structural assessment took place in 2023 with a further detailed assessment of the “stack” by SLC directly in 2025.
S&GCC reached an agreement with SLC in early 2020 that money would be set aside for repairs to the boardwalk and path to the castle grounds to be undertaken when installation of the fence took place.
By 2022 SLC had compiled a tender for the construction of security fencing, repairs to the boundary wall and repairs to the boardwalk in the Castle Park with the ambition of enabling access to the castle grounds while securing the castle. However of the three tender submissions none was suitable for award of a contract.
SLC re-issued the tender and a local firm was successful in securing this project with a start date at the end of September 2023, two and half years after the budget was agreed. The work included construction of security fencing around the castle, repairs to the boardwalk and repairs to associated stonework to the boundary wall. The work also included the installation of foundations for two information boards and ducting for cables for future lighting of the castle. We are grateful to S&GCC for the work that went into securing these improvements.
In early October 2023, Friends of Strathaven Castle (FoSC) were accompanied to look at the work being undertaken. Given the very limited funds made available, the contractor was reinstating the missing section of boardwalk, which was destroyed by a fallen tree, and patching up damaged and rotten sections of boardwalk. They were also replacing and installing handrailing and cleaning up and patching the cinder path to provide a clear and safe route through the gardens. The extent of the work they could do was dictated by the budget made available to them, rather than by the absolute need.
The timber handrailing that existed was not standard “off the shelf” handrailing and the contractor had to search for someone to make and mill bespoke profiles for the replacements needed
They also installed a security fence around the castle structure and this required an archeologist to be on site to supervise the hole digging for the fence posts. Unfortunately, they didn’t find anything of note.
Later, and separate from the above, SLC undertook improvements to the corner of Todshill street at the entrance to the castle grounds walkway. This incorporated further projects arranged by S&GCC including a new sign post and a covid memorial installation.
Since this time S&GCC have been working with FoSC and SLC to find a way to progress the structural repairs to the castle so that the castle can be opened again to the people of Strathaven. We have a plan which we hope to put into practice later in 2026.