Craigmillar Castle, often considered Edinburgh’s ‘other’ castle, lies about three miles from the city centre and is smaller than its ‘big brother castle’ in the Old Town. Craigmillar Castle is one of the most complete medieval castles in Scotland, for while it some sections lack a roof and the interiors are gutted it otherwise shows off some of the best example of castellated architecture I’ve seen. Although Gilmour modernized much of the west range making it more suitable for family living, he finally moved to more comfortable surroundings at Inch House in nearby Gilmerton.Within a century the Castle had become “a romantic ruin in the landscape “and in 1949 the Gilmour family entrusted it to state care.Although there are plenty of parking spaces at the Castle the best way to get there is by bus. The surroundings make it easy to forget the nearby urban landscape. These are the walls that form a wall completely around a castle. They were used by soldiers to drop heavy stones on invading troops and you can see similar defences as you walk around the much larger Edinburgh Castle.It’s quite fascinating to explore the buildings but the surrounding grounds are worth walking around too.To the south there are the remains of the Preston formal gardens that include the family chapel built in 1520, and it’s easy to let yourself imagine you’re walking the same paths that Mary Queen of Scots walked through when she was a guest.In fact, those gardens have so much history associated with them they’ve been included in the UK’s National Register of Historic Gardens. Truly Edinburgh is a visitor guide to Scotland's capital city and sometimes a bit further afield too.We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Visiting Craigmillar Castle should be near the top of any list of things to do in Edinburgh.
If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. You’ll get great views across the city from the platform and it’s the perfect location to take a few shots of The rest of the castle is basically just a series of bare walls – some without roofs – but at least HES have installed plenty of information panels so you can learn about the history of the castle while you’re walking through it.After you’ve walked around the castle you can head out into the grounds which aren’t really all that big but they’re quite pretty, and HES have installed a few picnic benches so they make a top place to whip out a cheese sarnie or two.These grounds are typical of most Scottish castles and they’re littered with little details that give us a glimpse into Scottish life hundreds of years ago, with one example being the round tower doocot that sits at the north-east corner of the grounds.A doocot, or ‘dovecote’ as it’s also known, is a small building that was used to keep pigeons, much like we use a chicken coop today.Pigeon meat used to be a vital source of protein in Scotland and not only were the birds easy to keep but they reproduced in large numbers which meant there was always readily available meat for the Preston family.Take a look at the roof of the doocot and you’ll see the hole where the birds used to fly in and out, surrounded by hundreds of nesting perches. Castle walls are also called curtain walls. Often considered Edinburgh’s ‘other’ castle, it is smaller than its ‘big brother castle’ in the Old Town. No wonder royalty used to hide there when political events got a bit hairy in the city.When you visit have a look at the ‘murder holes’ in the outer walls of the central tower which used to be a standard feature of fortified castles in Scotland. If anyone mentions the words ‘Edinburgh’ and ‘castle’ in the same sentence most people instantly imagine the medieval fortress that glowers over the city from the top of Castle Rock.But there’s another castle in Edinburgh that has almost as much history, yet it goes entirely unnoticed by the majority of visiting tourists.Sitting just three miles outside of the city centre is the ancestral home of the once-powerful Preston family, Craigmillar Castle, and I reckon it’s an attraction that’s well worth visiting if you want a break from the bustling crowds.Although the castle is now in ruins it’s managed by the Historic Environment Scotland (HES) trust who’ve done a tremendous job of restoring it as a visitor attraction.While it’s true that much of the castle is roofless it still remains one of the best-preserved medieval castles in Scotland, and its location means it can easily be combined with a visit to Getting to Craigmillar Castle from Edinburgh is easy.
Alternatively book yourself a tour, it’s a great way of making sure you don’t miss anything. There’s a car park on-site but to be honest the Lothian Bus network is so good I suggest you take public transport instead, so look for the number 14 bus from the North Bridge which will drop you a few minutes walk away from the castle entrance.The centre of Craigmillar Castle consists of a large L-plan tower house that was built in 1425 along with an enclosed courtyard wall, and a sizeable outer courtyard was added in 1511 which meant it was perfect as a refuge for Scotland’s nobility.The strength of these fortifications is evident everywhere you look but especially so in the central tower where the walls are over 11 feet thick. The beautiful Preston Aisle in St Giles Cathedral is named after Sir William Preston.Mary Queen of Scots, who visited on several occasions, enjoyed the peaceful location.Yes, a number of scenes were filmed there. Medieval castle walls changed over the centuries. The earliest parts of Craigmillar Castle were built in the late fourteenth century by Sir Simon Preston. It’s a surprisingly big structure and just goes to show how much our ancestors liked eating pigeons.Building works began on the castle in the late 14th-century and it was the main home of the wealthy Preston family until they sold it in 1660.One of the most famous residents of Craigmillar Castle was Mary Queen of Scots who famously took refuge there after the birth of her son James VI.
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