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.
No larger image
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
Contact Tantallon Castle: +44 (0)1620 892727
Construction start: 1350
Architecture in Scotland
Historic Buildings in Eastern Scotland
Lennoxlove House
photo © Adrian Welch
Crichton Castle
photo © Adrian Welch
Website: Tantallon Castle East Lothian
Glasgow School of Art
photo © Adrian Welch
Comments / photos for the Tantallon Castle Architecture page welcome
Tantallon Castle Building – page
Website: Tantallon Castle Scotland