Strathaven Castle, also known as Avondale Castle, stands as a significant Scottish ruin in the centre of Strathaven, South Lanarkshire. The fortress was initially constructed around 1350 by the Baird family and later owned by the powerful Black Douglas family until King James II destroyed it in 1455 during his suppression of the Douglas line. Sir Andrew Stewart, 1st Lord Avondale, rebuilt the castle in 1458, though it eventually passed to the Hamilton family and fell into abandonment around 1740. The castle features a narrow rectangular structure with towers at opposite corners, positioned dramatically on a rocky outcrop above the Powmillon Burn. Now a scheduled ancient monument, it remains an important landmark in Strathaven with ongoing community efforts to promote its restoration and public access.
