Newark Castle, Greenock

Category

Library Item

Item no

14792

Title

Newark Castle, Greenock

Description

Newark castle and its surrounding harbour are viewed from across a bay. The gatehouse and tower house are visible as well as the separate dovecot [doocot] tower. Small boats are docked in the bay. A couple of steamboats can be seen on the sea. The tops of some further boats can be made out behind the castle building and trees.

Artist / maker

Skene, James

Date

1815

Size

14.7 x 32 cm

Type

Watercolour

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

Newark Castle is situated in Port Glasgow, Inverclyde, on the estuary of the River Clyde. Port Glasgow was originally a small village called Newark. The port was founded in 1668 for ships too large to go further along the shallow waters of the Clyde. By the nineteenth century Port Glasgow had become an important centre of shipbuilding.
The Castle is thought of as one of the finest surviving examples of secular Renaissance architecture. The original building dates to 1478 and was extensively altered and expanded by Sir Patrick Maxwell in the late 16th Century. Sir Patrick gained notoriety for murdering his neighbours and beating his wife who eventually left him, after having 16 children. Today the Castle is in the care of Historic Environment Scotland and is open as a visitor attraction.
Find out more at the Historic Environment Scotland Website

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Related subjects

Homes > Residential buildings > Castles and palaces

Landscape > Land > Bays

Landscape > Land > Coastlines

Landscape > Water > Harbours

Places > Scotland > Renfrewshire

Transport > Water > Boats

Transport > Water > Steamboats

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