Details

13th century
donjon

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Location

EH39 5ER
NT 516 839
in DIrleton, East Lothian
2m w of North Berwick
map

Information

Apr-Sep
0930-1730
Oct-Mar
0930-1630
£4.70/£2.35

Links

Wikipedia
Historic Scotland
Undiscovered Scotland
Barony of Dirleton
Maybole
Tripadvisor
Gazetteer
Geograph
RCAHMS
Castle Explorer
Timeline
Clan Maxwell

Questions?
Comments?

Dirleton Castle


the northern range of the hall

In the 16th century, the Ruthven family added the Ruthven Barracks, the southern range and remodelling of the courtyard. James VI gave Dirleton to the Earl of Arran before 1585, but the castle was restored to the Ruthven family in 1586. The Ruthvens were forfeited in 1600 the lands went to Thomas Erskine.

For a very brief time (only 7 years), Sir James Maxwell was named Earl of Dirleton, but he died without passing on the title. The castle was beiseged again in 1650 by General Monck and the castle was damanged and possibly partially destroyed ("slighted"). The drawbridge and main entry were destroyed by mortar fire.

John Nisbet bought the estate in 1663, although he buit a manor house nearby at the end of the 17th century to replace Dirleton, suggesting that it was not in livable condition.

Direlton was handed over to state care in 1981.


from the saris, looking up at Ruthven barracks and the drum tower


the smaller rount tower of the original castle

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