Sir George Crichton, later 1st Earl of Caithness, probably built Blackness Castle in the mid-1440s, possibly on the site of an earlier fort. It is first mentioned in 1449. It passed to James II in 1453 after he recaptured it following a brief siege. The article names no original architect.
Sir James Hamilton of Finnart, the King's Master of Works, directed an artillery fortification program from 1534 to 1540. The central tower is about 36 by 32 feet (11 by 9.8 m), with walls 7.5 feet (2.3 m) thick at the base. The castle is built of stone, with a caponier at the entrance and gun ports.
Cromwell's forces damaged it in 1650. A restoration from 1926 to 1935 removed most 19th-century work. Historic Environment Scotland cares for it, and it is a scheduled ancient monument.
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