Dirleton Castle building photo, Architect, Location, History, Image, Scottish fortification architecture

Dirleton Castle, Scotland : Building

Historic Scottish Building, East Lothian, south east Scotland, UK – 12th century fortification.

post updated 14 February 2025

Please check with owners for details such as access & charge

Edinburgh & Lothian

Address: Dirleton, East Lothian

Dirleton Castle

Location: 2m west of North Berwick on the A198, entry from village green

This Scottish fortification was built in the 12th century.

photo : Jonathan Oldenbuck, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Dirleton Castle Scotland

Dirleton Castle stands on a rocky outcrop, at the heart of the rich agricultural lands of the barony of Dirleton, and guards the coastal approach to Edinburgh from England, via the port of North Berwick. The ruins comprise a 13th-century keep, and a 16th-century house which the Ruthvens built adjacent.

Only the basement levels survive of the 14th- and 15th-century additions built by the Haliburtons, although these comprised a large hall and tower house along the east range.

photo : Gunther Tschuch, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Other buildings within the courtyard have also been demolished. Surrounding the castle are gardens, which may have been first laid out in the 16th century, although the present planting is largely of the 20th century.

Contact:

telephone: +44 (0)1620 850330

e-mail: hs.explorer(at)scotland.gsi.gov.uk

No larger photo, apologies

12th century fortification photograph © Adrian Welch