The Scottish Castles Association has received a positive response from the Scottish Government following an invitation to Màiri McAllan MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Education, Culture and Gaelic, to attend the Association’s fundraising dinner at Dundas Castle on 18 November.

Although diary commitments mean that the Cabinet Secretary is unable to attend, her Private Secretary conveyed her best wishes for a successful event.

In her written response, the Cabinet Secretary recognised the importance of Scotland’s historic environment, stating:

“The Cabinet Secretary recognises the importance of Scotland’s historic environment and welcomes the work being undertaken by the Scottish Castles Association and its partners.”

She also wished the Association every success with its Archive project and wider community outreach ambitions, adding that she “looks forward to hearing about their progress in due course.”

This recognition is particularly encouraging as the Association continues to develop its partnership with the University of Stirling to establish a permanent, freely accessible digital Archive dedicated to Scotland’s castles and their history.

The Archive represents an important step in making Scotland’s rich castle heritage more accessible to researchers, historians, castle owners and the wider public.