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Hermitage Castle is one of the most
remote castles in the Scottish Borders.
Hermitage Castle
History
Hermitage is a very fine and
sizeable castle of the 14th and 15th centuries, and stands by the side of the Hermitage Water.
The low arched doorway leads to the courtyard, at one time the centre of a 14th century tower
house.
This was greatly extended in the late 14th and 15th
centuries to form the present elaborate plan, with four towers at the corners and the great
oversailing arches between them on the west and east facades.
The Dacre family using English masons probably
erected the oldest surviving part of the castle around 1350. The castle soon passed to the
Douglases, who remained until 1492, creating what we see today.
In 1491 James IV ordered them to surrender the
castle to the Hepburns of Bothwell, with the Douglases receiving Bothwell Castle in exchange.
In 1540 the castle was taken over by the Crown, though the Hepburns still held it. Mary, Queen
of Scots visited the Earl of Bothwell here on 15 October 1566.
The castle was acquired by the Scotts around 1600,
but was then abandoned. The Duke of Buccleuch made some restorations in 1820 and it passed into
care in 1930.
Hermitage Castle - Facts
The Hermitage
Castle is in the care of Historic Scotland today and it is
open for visitors from April to September. The Hermitage castle is in a remote location, the
closest village is Newlands.
Hermitage Castle
Map&Location
Hermitage Castle Address: TD9 0LU, United Kingdom. Get help with directions
using the map provided bellow:
View
Hermitage Castle in a larger map
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