Tantallon Castle, Image, History, Date, Historic Scottish Building, Architecture

Tantallon Castle, East Lothian

Historic Scottish Building: East Lothian Architecture, semi-ruined mid-14th-century fortress in Scotland

post updated 6 Mar 2021

Tantallon Castle East Lothian

Location: 3m east of North Berwick off the A198, East Lothian

Contact Tantallon Castle: 01620 892727

Address: North Berwick EH39 5PN

View of Tantallon from Seacliff beach to the southeast

photo © Adrian Welch

Tantallon Castle was built in the mid-14th century by the Red Douglasses. Set on the edge of the cliffs, looking out to Bass Rock, this historic building in East Lothian was a stronghold of the Douglas family. It features earthwork defences & a 50ft-high 14th-century curtain wall with towers.

Views of Tantallon from the sea

building pictures © Adrian Welch

Tantallon Castle was strengthened to resist artillery in the 16th century. The 8th Earl was the last of the Douglases to reside at the property. By 1650, the Castle had become an army base for raids against Cromwell during his advance on Scotland.

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Historic Building in East Lothian
picture © Adrian Welch

Cromwell’s Covenanters, led by General Monk, took Tantallon in 1651 after twelve days bombardment: the castle was never inhabited again. The building has been state property – run by Historic Scotland – since 1924.

Tantallon Castle – Contact / Admission Details
E-mail: [email protected]
This historic East Lothian building is closed Thu afternoons & Fri in Winter.

Buildings nearby include the Scottish Seabird Centre in Nortn Berwick

Context just to west of Tantallon Castle

photograph © Adrian Welch