Mountquhanie Castle

Mountquhanie Castle is a ruined 16th century tower house north-west of Cupar in Fife. Mountquhanie was held by the Balfours from 1459 until c.1600. One member of the family Sir Michael Balfour, a favourite of King James IV was killed with his monarch at Flodden. Others were involved in the murders of Caridnal Beaton and Henry Lord Darnley.

In c.1600 Mountanquie was sold to the Lumsdens of Innergellie. Major-General Robert Lumsden, a veteran of the Gustave Adolphus wars fought against Cromwell at the Battle of Dunbar in 1650, and was governor of Dundee in 1651. He surrendered to a Roundhead army led by General Monck, but was murdered by the English troops and the town was sacked and looted, and many of the inhabitants were slaughtered.

 Mountanquie was sold to the Crawfords in 1676. They replaced the castle by Mountanquie House, which stands nearby and dates from 1820. One wing of Mountanquie Castle remains inhabited.