Cawdor Castle

Built 1454, for William Cawdor, 6th Thane of Cawdor, the original tower house (still visible, and parts of which date to 1380) has since been built around extensively over the years. The castle is perhaps best recognized from its role in Shakespeare's Macbeth, made famous by the character the "Thane of Cawdor". In 1510, the sole heiress of the Cawdor family married Sir John Campbell and it has remained in the Campbell family ever since. The Campbells were raised to the Peerage in 1796 adopting the title, Earls of Cawdor. It remains the home of the current Dowager Countess of Cawdor and its magnificent gardens are open to the public.