Ormiston Castle facts for kids
Ormiston Castle is a ruined old building from the 1500s. It's a type of strong house called a tower house. You can find it about 4 miles east of Dalkeith in Scotland. People also used to call it the "House of Ormiston" or Old Ormiston. It's good to know there were other places named Ormiston with similar tower houses in Scotland too!
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History of Ormiston Castle
Ormiston Castle has a long and interesting history. The Lindsays were the first owners of this land. Later, in the 1300s, the Cockburn family took over the property.
The Rough Wooing
In 1547, during a conflict known as the Rough Wooing, English forces took control of Ormiston Castle. This happened because John Cockburn of Ormiston had chosen to support the English side.
To get revenge, James Hamilton, who was the ruler of Scotland at the time, brought cannons to the castle. In February 1548, his forces attacked and took back the castle. After capturing it, they burned it down. Much later, in 1748, John Hope, 2nd Earl of Hopetoun bought the ruined property.
George Wishart's Capture
Ormiston Castle is also known for a sad event involving George Wishart. He was an important Protestant leader who was later killed for his beliefs.
Wishart was taken from the castle by the Earl of Bothwell. He was then moved to St Andrews, where Cardinal Beaton had him executed. Another person, Alexander Crichton of Brunstane, managed to escape Bothwell's men. He ran through Ormiston wood at night and made it safely to Tantallon Castle.
What Ormiston Castle Looked Like
The castle was built on a high ridge, which is like a raised piece of land. On one side, there was a river valley, and it's thought there might have been ditches on the other three sides for protection.
The main part of the castle was an L-plan keep. This means it was shaped like the letter 'L' when viewed from above. In the 1500s, a smaller building was added to the side of the keep. The whole area was surrounded by a strong wall called a barmkin, which had a gatehouse. This gatehouse probably faced towards the east.
