Niddry Castle
Encyclopedia
Niddry Castle is a fourteenth century tower house
near Winchburgh
, West Lothian
, Scotland
. It is situated near the Union Canal
, and is adjacent to a large oil shale
"bing", or waste heap.
The tower was built around 1500 by Lord Seton. Mary, Queen of Scots, stayed here 2 May 1568, after her escape from captivity in Loch Leven Castle
. George Seton, 7th Lord Seton
garrisoned the castle in support of Queen Mary in 1572. According to the chronicle, the Historie of James the Sext, it was twice attacked, in April and June. In April, the Captain with forewarning repelled a night attack. He suspended heavy timber beams around the tower and released them on a party climbing scaling ladders. The garrison of Edinburgh Castle
supported Niddry by attacking Merchiston Castle
, which was held for James VI of Scotland, as a diversion.
In around 1680, the castle passed to the Hope family and became part of the Hopetoun
estate. The Hope family, now Marquesses of Linlithgow
, hold the subsidiary title
Baron Niddry. In the 1990s, Niddry Castle was restored as a private residence. Formerly a Scheduled Monument, the tower was de-scheduled in 1996 to allow restoration.
The four-storey L-plan tower has a corbel
led parapet, and a turret in the angle of the "L", which was added in the 17th century. The basement is vaulted
, and the hall was above, on the first floor.
The Castle features briefly in the closing pages of Sir Walter Scott's novel The Abbot
which deals with the flight of Mary Queen of Scots to England.
Tower house
A tower house is a particular type of stone structure, built for defensive purposes as well as habitation.-History:Tower houses began to appear in the Middle Ages, especially in mountain or limited access areas, in order to command and defend strategic points with reduced forces...
near Winchburgh
Winchburgh
Winchburgh is a village situated within the geographical county of West Lothian, Scotland. It is located approximately west of the city-centre of Edinburgh, east of Linlithgow and northeast of Broxburn.-Public transport:...
, West Lothian
West Lothian
West Lothian is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland, and a Lieutenancy area. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Falkirk, North Lanarkshire, the Scottish Borders and South Lanarkshire....
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. It is situated near the Union Canal
Union Canal (Scotland)
The Union Canal is a 31.5-mile canal in Scotland, from Lochrin Basin, Fountainbridge, Edinburgh to Falkirk, where it meets the Forth and Clyde Canal.-Location and features:...
, and is adjacent to a large oil shale
Oil shale
Oil shale, an organic-rich fine-grained sedimentary rock, contains significant amounts of kerogen from which liquid hydrocarbons called shale oil can be produced...
"bing", or waste heap.
The tower was built around 1500 by Lord Seton. Mary, Queen of Scots, stayed here 2 May 1568, after her escape from captivity in Loch Leven Castle
Loch Leven Castle
Loch Leven Castle is a ruined castle on an island in Loch Leven, in the Perth and Kinross local authority area of Scotland. Possibly built around 1300, the castle was the location military action during the Wars of Scottish Independence...
. George Seton, 7th Lord Seton
George Seton, 7th Lord Seton
George Seton V, 7th Lord Seton was a Lord of the Parliament of Scotland, Master of the Household of Mary, Queen of Scots and Provost of Edinburgh. He was the eldest son of George Seton, 6th Lord Seton and Elizabeth Hay, a daughter of John Hay, 3rd Lord Hay of Yester...
garrisoned the castle in support of Queen Mary in 1572. According to the chronicle, the Historie of James the Sext, it was twice attacked, in April and June. In April, the Captain with forewarning repelled a night attack. He suspended heavy timber beams around the tower and released them on a party climbing scaling ladders. The garrison of Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is a fortress which dominates the skyline of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, from its position atop the volcanic Castle Rock. Human habitation of the site is dated back as far as the 9th century BC, although the nature of early settlement is unclear...
supported Niddry by attacking Merchiston Castle
Merchiston Castle
Merchiston Castle or Merchiston Tower was probably built by Alexander Napier, the second Laird of Merchiston around 1454. It serves as the seat for Clan Napier...
, which was held for James VI of Scotland, as a diversion.
In around 1680, the castle passed to the Hope family and became part of the Hopetoun
Hopetoun House
Hopetoun House is the traditional residence of the Earl of Hopetoun . It was built 1699-1701, designed by William Bruce. It was then hugely extended from 1721 by William Adam until his death in 1748 being one of his most notable projects. The interior was completed by his sons John Adam and Robert...
estate. The Hope family, now Marquesses of Linlithgow
Marquess of Linlithgow
Marquess of Linlithgow, in the County of Linlithgow or West Lothian, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1902 for John Hope, 7th Earl of Hopetoun....
, hold the subsidiary title
Subsidiary title
A subsidiary title is an hereditary title held by a royal or a noble but which is not regularly used to identify that person.For example, the Duke of Norfolk is also the Earl of Arundel, the Earl of Surrey, the Earl of Norfolk, the Baron Beaumont, the Baron Maltravers, the Baron FitzAlan, the Baron...
Baron Niddry. In the 1990s, Niddry Castle was restored as a private residence. Formerly a Scheduled Monument, the tower was de-scheduled in 1996 to allow restoration.
The four-storey L-plan tower has a corbel
Corbel
In architecture a corbel is a piece of stone jutting out of a wall to carry any superincumbent weight. A piece of timber projecting in the same way was called a "tassel" or a "bragger". The technique of corbelling, where rows of corbels deeply keyed inside a wall support a projecting wall or...
led parapet, and a turret in the angle of the "L", which was added in the 17th century. The basement is vaulted
Vault (architecture)
A Vault is an architectural term for an arched form used to provide a space with a ceiling or roof. The parts of a vault exert lateral thrust that require a counter resistance. When vaults are built underground, the ground gives all the resistance required...
, and the hall was above, on the first floor.
The Castle features briefly in the closing pages of Sir Walter Scott's novel The Abbot
The Abbot
The Abbot is a historical novel by Sir Walter Scott. A sequel to The Monastery, it is one of Scott's Tales from Benedictine Sources and is set in the time of Mary, Queen of Scots...
which deals with the flight of Mary Queen of Scots to England.