Newark Castle is a very attractive tower house built on the shores of the Clyde but now with a shipyard to one side. Other yards were located to the east, but this land is now a park. There is a dovecote on the Clyde side of the tower.
Newark Castle History
The oldest parts are the tower and gateway of the 15th century. Patrick Maxwell, whose monogram is over the door, added the connecting range in 1597-1599
Dressed sandstone moldings surround the windows, and the north front is symmetrical. The castle has a fine selection of rooms to explore, the ground floor having six vaults that are open, including a bakehouse, a kitchen, and a wine cellar.
A wide-scale stair leads to the first floor, where the great hall, with a grand fireplace, is furnished with replica items. On the floor above is a long gallery with a display of old prints of Port Glasgow and a bust of John Wood, a shipbuilder.
George Maxwell built Newark’s old tower around 1484 and James IV visited in 1495. In 1668 George Maxwell sold the ground to allow the erection of Port Glasgow.
The castle was sold in 1694 and subsequently leased to tenants.
Newark Castle Location
Newark Castle Address: Port Glasgow, PA14 5NH, United Kingdom. Get help with directions using the map provided below: