Garleton Castle

Garleton Castle is a courtyard castle, dating from the sixteenth century, about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) north of Haddington, just north of the Garleton Hills in East Lothian, Scotland.[1]

Garleton Castle

Structure

Garleton Castle once comprised three blocks within a curtain wall,[1] but the main L-plan tower, which had two wings, is mostly demolished. While the second block has been converted to a farm cottage, the rectangular third block is still nearly complete.[1] This block has two storeys, and a garret with crowstepped gables. Other features are the round stair-tower, and the gunloops piercing the walls.[1] The gunloops are of the splayed variety, characteristic of the 16th century. The castle is rubble-built.[2] Some of the curtain wall survives, and a round tower.[1]

The interior, which has been altered considerably, includes a vaulted kitchen, equipped with a wide-arched fireplace, and another room with a canopied fireplace.[3] The remains of the castle are protected as a category B listed building and as a Scheduled Ancient Monument.[4][5]

History

Garleton Castle belonged to the Lindsay family. It subsequently passed to the Towers of Innerleithen, and was sold by them to the Setons.[1] Sir John Seton of Garleton was given the property by his father George Seton, 3rd Earl of Winton. By 1885 it could be described as a fragmentary ruin.[3]

Tradition

It is said the building was haunted by an apparition of a man at one stage, while the sound of heavy footsteps is said to have been heard.[1] It is possible that Sir David Lyndsay, who wrote Ane Pleasant Satyre of the Thrie Estaitis was born in an earlier building at this site, in 1486.[3]

References
  1. Coventry,Martin (2001) The Castles of Scotland. Goblinshead. ISBN 1-899874-26-7 p.224
  2. "Garleton Castle". Scotland's Places. Retrieved 2009-11-24.
  3. "Garleton Castle". Gazetteer for Scotland. Retrieved 2009-11-23.
  4. Historic Environment Scotland. "Garleton Castle (SM6049)". Retrieved 2019-02-24.
  5. Historic Environment Scotland. "GARLETON EAST, GARLETON HOUSE AND CASTLE WALLS  (Category B) (LB6347)". Retrieved 2019-02-24.

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