Lochend House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lochend Castle |
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| Edinburgh, Scotland UK |
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Lochend House
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Lochend Castle Doocot
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 Lochend Castle
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| Coordinates | 55°57′37″N 3°09′32″W / 55.9603°N 3.159°W |
| Type | L-Plan Tower House |
| Site information | |
| Owner | Edinburgh Council |
| Controlled by | Lestalric Family (until 14th Century) Logan Family (until c.1600) |
| Open to the public |
No |
| Site history | |
| Built | c.16th Century |
Lochend House is a historic building in Edinburgh, Scotland. It's also known as Restalrig Castle or Lochend Castle. This house includes parts of a 16th-century L-shaped tower house. It is located in the Lochend area, about 2.4 kilometers (1.5 miles) east of Edinburgh Castle. Today, people live in Lochend House, and it is protected as a special historic building.
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History of Lochend House
The land where Lochend House stands first belonged to the Lestalric family. By the early 1300s, it was owned by the Logan family from Restalrig. They kept the property until around 1600.
A Plot Against the King
The Logan family lost their property because they were involved in a plot against King James VI. This event is known as the Gowrie conspiracy. During this time, the castle was burned by William Gilmour. The last Logan family member to own the property was Sir Robert Logan.
Later Owners
After the Logan family, the property was owned by Arthur Elphinstone, the 6th Lord Balmerino. He took over in 1704. Lord Balmerino was later executed in London. This happened because he was part of the Jacobite rising of 1745, which was a rebellion against the government. He was captured after the battle of Culloden.
Modern Times
The current Lochend House was built around 1820. It includes the old tower's gable end. The Edinburgh Council used to own the building. It was a children's center until 2016, when a fire damaged its roof. After the roof was fixed, the building was sold in 2018. It is now owned by a private family.
What Lochend House Looks Like
Lochend House stands on a rocky hill inside Lochend Park. There are steep slopes leading down to a small loch on its west side.
The Old Tower
The oldest part of the building is a three-story, L-shaped block. It has a roof that slopes very steeply. The inside of the house has been completely changed over time. However, you can still see some small cupboards, called aumbries, in the thick walls. There are also parts of a very large fireplace. People say it was big enough to roast an ox!
The Doocot
Near the house, in the park, there is a 16th-century doocot. A doocot is a building where pigeons or doves were kept. In the 1800s, this doocot was used as a boat house. It is also a protected historic building today.
Lochend Loch
Lochend House sits on a 10-meter (about 33-foot) high rock cliff. At the bottom of this cliff is Lochend Loch. This loch is in a natural dip in the ground. It doesn't have an outlet, so it's like a large puddle. Its depth changes depending on how much rain falls.
Water Supply for Leith
For some time, the loch provided water to the town of Leith. However, even in olden times, the water quality was not good. It was mostly still water. Because of this, people in Leith preferred to use local wells instead.
Royal Hunting Ground
In September 1507, James IV of Scotland came to Lochend to hunt wild birds. Four men were paid to row a boat on the "loch of Restalrig" to help scare up the birds for the king.
