Billie Castle

Billie Castle stands in the Scottish Borders, three miles north-west of Chirnside. It is a ruined quadrangular castle from the 15th century, set on a platform protected by deep ditches. The site once belonged to the Dunbars before passing to the Earl of Angus in 1435. In 1540 the Renton family took control after the Crown seized it. English forces slighted the castle in 1544, and it was attacked again in 1548 when English soldiers captured the barbican. The castle was a strong keep measuring about 15 metres by 12 metres, with walls over two metres thick. A stone stair in the north-west corner led to upper floors, and two rounded towers stood at the southern angles. Red sandstone blocks formed the structure, now reduced to a turf-covered mound. Remains of a gatehouse and tower survive inside the quadrangle. East of the castle lie the ruins of a kiln and two enclosures with rectangular foundations. Visitors find a quiet grassy mound where the castle once stood. The earthworks and ditches still mark the original defences. Scattered stones show where walls and towers once rose. The surrounding fields stretch towards Chirnside, with no modern buildings nearby. The site is peaceful, offering a sense of its past strength without crowds or distractions.