Buchanan Castle, a ruined structure in Stirlingshire about a mile from the village of Drymen, has a history that includes serving as a family home, a luxury hotel, and a military hospital during the Second World War. Today, the building lies abandoned, with its roof removed in the 1950s and nature reclaiming most of the structure.
From Clan Buchanan to the Montrose Family
The current structure dates back to the 1850s, but the surrounding land is believed to have been owned by Clan Buchanan as far back as the 13th century. The castle was originally commissioned by the Fourth Duke of Montrose to serve as the Montrose family's home, replacing Buchanan Auld House, which had been devastated by a fire in 1852 and stood about half a mile away.
While the castle and nearby land were originally owned by Clan Buchanan, they were passed to Clan Graham in the 17th century. Over the years, the property has lived many lives, including as a luxurious hotel in the 1930s and later as a military hospital after the start of the Second World War.
Rudolf Hess and the War Years
Buchanan Castle treated many soldiers during the war, but its most infamous patient was Rudolf Hess, a German war criminal and leading Nazi Party member who was appointed Deputy to the Führer in 1933. Hess arrived at the castle after his plane ran out of fuel during a supposed peace mission from Germany to the UK in May 1941, forcing him to parachute to the ground in Scotland.
After landing, Hess was taken into custody and transported to the nearby Buchanan Hospital for treatment. He was later moved to the Tower of London and then to Mytchett Place in Surrey, where he was kept as a prisoner of war until facing charges at Nuremberg in 1945.
Abandonment and Decline
Following the end of World War Two, Buchanan Castle briefly served as the home of the Army School of Education, and the grounds were repurposed as a golf course. However, the once-grand property was soon left to the elements. The castle now lies crumbling and strewn with overgrown plants, with weeds and trees taking over more of the structure each year. Attempts to convert the former hospital into housing have been rejected, and the castle remains abandoned.
