Blanerne Castle

Blanerne Castle stands on the north bank of the Whiteadder Water in the Scottish Borders, about six kilometres north-east of Duns. The remains belong to a 16th-century fortified house that once belonged to the Lumsdaine family for more than four hundred years. Earlier traces on the site may go back to the 12th century, though the visible ruins date from the 1500s. A keep or kitchen block and a detached guard house to the west are still standing. The castle is protected as a Scheduled Ancient Monument. A local rhyme in Berwickshire recalls the medieval strength of Blanerne alongside Billie Castle and Bonkyll Castle. It tells how these three strongholds were built when David I was a child and later destroyed during the Rough Wooing. The verse ends by saying each will end as a cairn. The castle’s history is tied to the Lumsdaine family, who held the site for centuries. Blanerne House, an 18th-century country house, stands nearby on the same grounds. In 1830 the architect William Burn drew up plans for it, though these may not have been followed. After a serious fire in 1895 the house was rebuilt in 1897 and now operates as a guest house. Guests can also enjoy fishing and game shooting on the estate. The house itself is listed at category B for its architectural importance.