Dirleton Castle
Castle In East Lothian, Borders
Medieval fortress dating back to the 13th century.
The area around East Lothian has plenty to offer and it rivals Northumberland for its abundance of impressive castles. Dirleton Castle is a great one to explore, though parts of the castle are closed to the public for now (as of March 2025) while work continues to stabilise the building.
As with many huge castles built centuries ago, there is a wealth of information out there on its history. I don't want to waffle on too much, so recommend visiting Historic Environment Scotland for more information if you're interested.
The castle is an impressive ruin perched on a rocky outcrop, and was originally a wooden castle built on the 1100s by the De Vaux family. The family owned the beautiful island of Fidra (visible from the area around North Berwick), and their first main stronghold, Castle Tarbet, was built there before they moved to Dirleton.
John de Vaux who built Tarbet Castle also replaced the wooden castle at Dirleton with a huge stone structure in the 1200s. The impressive keep is one of the original parts of the castle, still going strong today.
The castle went through some turbulent times during the Wars of Independence (1296-1357) and it was occupied by the English from 1298. When it was finally recaptured by the Scots, Robert the Bruce ordered its partial demolition. The castle then became the property of the Haliburton family after the last De Vaux died and they set out to rebuild the castle. They added the Great Hall, chapel, enormous storage vaults and the grim pit-prison.
The Ruthven family were next to become owners of the castle in 1515 through marriage, and further improvements were made including changes to accommodation and the introduction of a pleasure garden in the grounds. They also built the fantastic dovecot near the castle keep.
In 1650, Oliver Cromwell captured the castle and it sadly fell into disuse. In 1663 the castle was in the hands of new owner John Nisbet who constructed Archerfield House and left Dirleton to ruin.
There is a very clear path to follow which guides you through the castle and gardens. After walking through some well kept gardens, you'll spot the dovecot built by the Ruthven family in the 1500s. It was used to encourage pigeons to nest, and their eggs and squabs were eaten at banquets.
Next on the route you'll spot the impressive castle keep. There are a few stairs to climb here, but it's worth the wander up.
You can spot the ruined lodgings and great hall as you reach the top, and some stairs will take you down to the sinister pit-prison, the chapel and the cellars. The cellars are the biggest I have ever seen, and for a ruined building built several centuries ago, I thought it had a lovely feel and might move there when we win the lottery.
There are several parts of the building closed to the public here, including the Guard House, South Entrance and the De Vaux range. Historic Environment Scotland are still working on restoring 70 sites, however, 94% of their sites are still open to visitors. Our entrance fee was reduced because of the restricted access.
The final part of our visit was through the gardens which were developed and redesigned in the 19th and 20th centuries. A lovely addition and there are some fantastic views of the castle from them.
A grand day out, there is a shop on site and some loos in the car park.
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How To Find Dirleton Castle
Where Is Dirleton Castle?
Lat / Long
56.045642, -2.778172
What three words
Where To Park For Dirleton Castle?
Lat / Long
56.045399, -2.781021
What three words
There is a car park with loos close to the entrance.
Contributed by Sandra Clemens
I love the great outdoors and have been a National Trust & English Heritage member for years. I also love going off the beaten track and finding places like Sharp's Folly or Rothley Castle which are hidden gems in Northumberland. My favourite recent hike was climbing Red Screes in the Lake District on a whim, not fully grasping how high 776m was. It was still an achievement to conquer a Wainwright walk and I hope to do more one day.
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