Template:FP-Dirleton Castle

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Dirleton Castle, East Lothian

Dirleton Castle

Dirleton Castle is a mediæval fortress standing in ruins by the village of Dirleton in East Lothian; just two miles west of North Berwick. The oldest parts of the castle date to the 13th century. It was abandoned by the end of the 17th century.

Begun in around 1240 by John De Vaux, the castle was heavily damaged during the King Edward's Scottish Wars, when it was twice taken by the English. It was later rebuilt.

Dirleton Castle stands on a rocky outcrop and guards the coastal approach to Edinburgh from England. The ruins comprise a 13th-century keep, and a 16th-century house. 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. (Read more)