Ballencrieff Castle facts for kids
Ballencrieff Castle, also known as Ballencrieff House, is a large tower house located in East Lothian, Scotland. You can find it about three miles northwest of Haddington and one mile south of Aberlady.
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History of Ballencrieff Castle
This castle was first built in 1507. King James IV asked his private secretary, James Murray, to build a strong house here. Sadly, it was destroyed around 1545.
Who Owned Ballencrieff?
From about 1550 to 1580, David Borthwick, Lord Lochill owned the house. He likely rebuilt it and even called it Lochill Castle. Over the years, many different families owned Ballencrieff. In 1608, Sir Bernard Lindsay bought it. Then, Sir Patrick Murray took over in 1632. Later, in 1679, it went to Sir Peter Wedderburn. Finally, in 1755, George Murray, Lord Elibank, bought it, bringing it back to the Murray family.
A Famous Governor?
Some people say that General James Murray, who was a governor of Canada, was born here in 1721. However, this is probably not true because the Murray family did not own the castle at that time.
Fire and Restoration
In 1868, the house accidentally burned down. It was left without a roof for many years until it was repaired between 1992 and 1997. Today, Ballencrieff Castle is privately owned. It sits next to a farm that raises free range rare breed pigs.
What Ballencrieff Castle Looks Like
Ballencrieff Castle is a long, rectangular building with three floors. It has a basement with a strong, arched ceiling. The front of the castle, facing north, looks almost the same on both sides. There is also a tall, narrow wing on the southeast side with special stepped gables called crow-step gables.
Castle Features and Discoveries
The castle, along with its walled garden and a small building called a pavilion, is a "category B" listed building. This means it's an important historical site. During the restoration work, builders found some interesting things. They discovered gun holes from the 1500s and wooden bars that used to lock the windows. They also found parts of fancy plaster ceilings from the early 1600s. These ceilings had the initials and family symbols of Gideon Murray. Plus, they found pieces of a beautiful old fireplace on the first floor.
Images for kids
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Ballencrieff Castle from the north
