Thirlestane Castle

Image: © Jo and Steve Turner Taken: 14 Sep 1998

Category A Listed castle. About 1587-90 Lord Maitland of Thirlestane built a new rectangular battlemented house with towers at each corner. The 1st Duke of Lauderdale in 1670 employed architect Sir William Bruce to rebuild the 16th-century house in grand style. Bruce with Master Mason Robert Mylne rebuilt to form a six-storey block with projecting circular turrets in an arrangement that is unique in Scotland. There were further additions and remodelling by William Burn and David Bryce, 1841-45. This included the ogee-roofed central tower, the swept spirelets of the north and south wings and the service court. It is said a motte-and-bailey castle first occupied the site in the 12th century, however the only evidence for this seems to be a map of about 1654 that indicates Fort of Lauder here but not the castle. During the First World War, the Castle was used as a military hospital for convalescing officers. In the Second World War, it became home to the girls from St Hilary’s School in Edinburgh. In 1972 the castle was in a serious state of disrepair when inherited by Captain Gerald Maitland-Carew. Several years of fundraising and redecorating followed before it was opened to the public in 1984 by Thirlestane Castle Trust. In 2012, Edward and Sarah Maitland-Carew moved to the Castle that was forced to close following an outbreak of dry rot, which spread through the building. After another renovation they re-launched the Castle in May 2017 as a destination for weddings, events and exclusive hire.

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