Broughty Castle - surroundings

Broughty Castle was built on a rocky promontory at the mouth of the River Tay. The earliest people to settle in this area, before the castle was built, may have chosen not to build homes on this site, as it is very exposed. There are strong currents around the rocks at the mouth of the Tay and there is often a strong breeze here. However, it is an excellent place from which to defend the entrance to the Tay, and the castle's history is strongly linked with the changing needs of defending and watching over this part of the coastline.

Part of the rocky outcrop on which the castle is built

The view towards the Pile Light and Tentsmuir

The River Tay is about a mile across at this point. From the World War II defence post at the top of the castle's tower you can look southwards towards Tentsmuir Point, a national nature reserve since 1954. At Tentsmuir there are many rare plant species, and long-eared owls, red squirrels and the occasional capercaillie can be seen there. Also, looking out to sea, one can see a wooden structure just beyond the mouth of the river. This structure is called the Pile Light. It was built in 1848 to guide shipping safely into the mouth of the river.

Over to the right, on a clear day, the Buddon Ness lighthouses can be seen. These were built in 1754, also for the saftey of shipping. In 1884 the lower of the two lighthouses had to be moved because the shifting sandbanks nearby meant that it could no longer guide shipping from its orginal position. The whole lighthouse was moved on wooden beams to its new location.

Looking along the coast to the north-east, you can see the settlement of Monifieth, and, beyond that, Carnoustie. This is also a good point from which to view the castle's 1860s gun position, and the remaining parts of the barracks which used to house the Tay Division Submarine Miners (see below). Behind the barracks is Castle Green Battery. This is now a crazy golf course, but when it was built in 1905 it had two long-range guns, facing out to sea.

Behind Castle Green Battery is Windmill Park. There are now formal gardens here (see photo below), but in the early 19th century a windmill stood here. It housed a joiner's workshop. A model of the windmill, and some of the items made in the workshop, can be seen in the castle museum.

This view, looking north-east from the World War II defence post, shows an 1860s gun emplacement in the castle's courtyard in the foreground, and beyond it, the submarine miners' barracks. Behind the barracks is Castle Green battery, and beyond that, Windmill Gardens. you can also see the sandy beach in the top right of the photo.