Burleigh
Castle stands by the roadside, east of
Milnathort.
Burleigh Castle
History
Built of red sandstone, the original tower of about 1500 still stands today
together with a small tower dated 1582 and a stretch of connecting curtain wall, with a gateway
through it.
The remainder of the barbican has long since been
removed, as have lesser buildings that were built against the
wall.
The old tower has a vaulted basement and a stairway
to the first floor located in the north east corner which projects into the rooms. The upper
floors are gone, but large corbels for carrying the joists survive, some with masons’ marks.
There are garderobes off the two upper floors.
The second tower of the
Burleigh Castle is
basically circular in plan, but a small stairway projects outside the circumference. On the
second floor the tower is corbelled out to the square, to support the surviving roof. The arms
of Sir James Balfour of Pittendreich and Margaret Balfour of Burleigh adorn a
skewputt.
The Balfours owned Burleigh from 1446. King James IV
was a regular visitor at one time. In 1709 the Master of Burleigh was sentenced to death for
murdering the dominic of Inverkeithing, but he escaped prison dressed as his sister. He later
became a fervent Jacobite and, in disgrace, his Baron of Burleigh title was attaint until
1868.
Burleigh Castle
Map&Location
Address: Burleigh Castle Steading,
Milnathort, Kinross, Perth and Kinross KY13 9GG, UK. Get help with directions using the map
provided bellow:
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