Niddry Castle facts for kids

Niddry Castle is an old tower house from the 1500s. It is located near Winchburgh in West Lothian, Scotland. You can find it close to the Union Canal. It sits between two large piles of waste from oil shale mining. In the past, people called it Niddry Seton or West Niddry. This helped tell it apart from other places like Niddry Marischal and Longniddry.

History of Niddry Castle

Who Built Niddry Castle?

The castle was built around the year 1500. It was built by the Lord Seton family. This family was very important in Scottish history.

Mary, Queen of Scots' Visit

A famous visitor to Niddry Castle was Mary, Queen of Scots. She stayed here on May 2, 1568. This was right after she escaped from being held captive. She had been imprisoned at Loch Leven Castle.

Niddry Castle in Wartime

In 1572, Scotland was in a civil war. This was called the Marian civil war. George, Lord Seton supported Queen Mary. He kept soldiers at Niddry Castle to protect it.

The castle was attacked twice that year. This happened in April and June. In April, a captain named Scougall was ready for a night attack. He had heavy wooden beams hanging around the tower. When the attackers tried to climb ladders, he released the beams. This pushed the attackers away. Soldiers from Edinburgh Castle even helped Niddry. They attacked Merchiston Tower to distract the enemy.

Important Guests and Events

Many important events happened at Niddry Castle. On August 1, 1574, Margaret Seton got married here. She was the daughter of Lord Seton. She married Claud Hamilton. It was a very grand celebration.

In 1590, some Danish visitors stayed at the castle. They were led by Peder Munk. He was the Great Admiral of Denmark. They were there to claim land for Anne of Denmark. The next morning, they rode to Linlithgow Palace. Later that year, Patrick Gordon also stayed at Niddry. He was a guest of Lord Seton.

Niddry Castle Changes Hands

Around 1680, the castle became part of the Hope family's land. It joined the large Hopetoun estate. The Hope family later received a special title. They became the Marquises of Linlithgow. In 1814, they were also given the title Baron Niddry.

In the 1990s, Niddry Castle was brought back to life. Peter Wright restored it to be a private home. During this time, archaeologists also dug around the castle. They explored the castle and its surrounding wall, called a barmkin. The castle used to be a protected historical site. But it was de-scheduled in 1996 for the restoration work. It was then given a higher historical listing.

What Niddry Castle Looks Like

Niddry Castle is an L-plan tower. This means it is shaped like the letter "L". It has four floors. The top of the castle has a corbelled parapet. This is a protective wall with stone supports. There is also a small tower, or turret, in the corner of the "L" shape. This turret was added in the 1600s.

The lowest floor, called the basement, has a vaulted ceiling. This means it has an arched roof. The main hall was on the first floor, above the basement.

Niddry Castle in Books

Niddry Castle is mentioned in a famous book. It appears briefly in The Abbot by Sir Walter Scott. This novel tells the story of Queen Mary's escape to England.

Images for kids

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  Niddry Castle