Craigmillar Castle

Craigmillar Castle stands three miles south-east of Edinburgh on a low hill above the modern suburb of Craigmillar. The Preston family began building the castle in the late 14th century and continued work through the 15th and 16th centuries. In 1660 Sir John Gilmour bought the castle and gave it new life before his family moved to Inch House in the 18th century. The castle then fell into picturesque ruin and is now in the care of Historic Environment Scotland. It is one of the best-preserved medieval castles in Scotland. The castle is best known for its links with Mary, Queen of Scots. She arrived in November 1566 to recover from illness and stayed until early December. During her visit the nobles signed the Craigmillar Bond, a secret agreement about her husband Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley. The castle also witnessed the infant James V’s brief stay in 1517 and the burning by English troops in 1544. Witchcraft trials took place in the grounds in the 17th century. Visitors walk through the 15th-century courtyard wall with its fine defensive features. Inside the central tower house are additional ranges and a small chapel. The outer courtyard contains a doocot and the family chapel first recorded in 1523. The keep and east range show the castle’s layered history from medieval tower to 16th-century lodgings. The grounds include the site of the 1571 gunpowder explosion and later designed landscapes.