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 northeast 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 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 attainted until 1868.
Burleigh Castle Location
Address: Burleigh Castle Steading, Milnathort, Kinross, Perth and Kinross KY13 9GG, UK. Get help with directions using the map provided below: