Buchanan Castle was designed by William Burn in 1850 and built in 1852 . It was built to replace the Buchanan Palace which was burnt down in 1850 .

It was used as a hotel in the 1930's then as a hospital during WWII . It was also used to temporarily imprison Adolph Hitler's deputy leader Rudolph Hess during the war .

The castle has been a shell since 1954 , when the roof and floors were removed and all its contents were auctioned off .

It now stands in a derelict state surrounded by a nearby golf course and modern houses .