Seton Castle facts for kids
Seton Castle is a beautiful castle built in the 1700s, located in East Lothian, Scotland. It was designed in the Georgian style, which was popular at the time. This castle was the very last project in Scotland for its famous architect, Robert Adam.
Contents
A Look Back: The Story of Seton Castle
From Palace to Castle: A New Beginning
Seton Castle was built in the late 1700s. It stands on the same spot where a much older building, called Seton Palace, once stood. The old palace was taken down in 1789 to make way for the new castle.
The Grand Seton Palace
Seton Palace was located near Longniddry, close to the Firth of Forth. It used to belong to the Earls of Winton, a noble family. This palace was a favorite place for Mary, Queen of Scots, a famous Scottish queen, to visit and relax. She spent time there for her honeymoon and also after her husband, Lord Darnley, died.
The exact date when the first palace was built isn't known. However, it was built on the lands of Seton and Winton. Sadly, the English army burned the palace in May 1544 during a conflict known as the burning of Edinburgh.
A Palace of Kings
Despite the damage, historical records show that Seton Palace was considered the most magnificent palace in Scotland in the 1600s. Important visitors like King James VI and King Charles I were welcomed and entertained there.
However, the palace was damaged and burned again during the 1715 Jacobite Rising, a rebellion in Scotland. By 1780, it was described as being in ruins. Finally, the old palace was completely taken down in 1789.
Building the New Seton Castle
In the summer of 1789, a man named Lt Col Alexander Mackenzie decided to build a new mansion on the site of the old palace. He hired the famous architect Robert Adam for the job. The remains of the old palace were cleared away by 1790, except for the strong, arched ground floor, which was kept. Interestingly, stones from the old palace were reused to build the new castle!
The plans for the new building were finished by December 1789, and construction began soon after. The work on Seton Castle took place between November 1789 and the summer of 1791. John Paterson, who worked for Robert Adam, helped oversee the building process.
New Owners and Renovations
Alexander Mackenzie, who commissioned the castle, passed away young in 1796. The estate was then bought by the Earl of Wemyss, and his family owned Seton Castle for over 200 years! For a while, the castle was rented out to the Stevenson family.
In 2003, the castle was sold to Mary McMillan, a property developer. At that time, it was in very poor condition. She undertook a big restoration project to bring it back to life.
The castle is also right next to Seton Collegiate Church, an old church now looked after by Historic Scotland.
Seton Castle Today
Seton Castle was officially recognized as a very important historical building in 1987. It was described as a grand, castle-like house from the late Georgian period, and one of Robert Adam's most impressive designs in this style. The castle has several shaped towers and curved walls that create a courtyard, entered through a central archway.
The 1987 report also mentioned that only the walls of the famous old gardens from the 1500s and 1600s remained from the original palace. The building itself has beautiful classical details inside, like fancy columns and a special stone staircase that seems to float without visible support.
In 2007, Stephen Leach bought the property and did even more renovations. After a major restoration, he decided to sell it in 2019. At that time, the property covered about 13.5 acres and included a huge mansion with seven bedrooms. If you count the separate cottages, there were 13 bedrooms in total! The mansion still has many of its original features, like the fancy Corinthian pillars and the amazing stone staircase in the main hall. Besides the mansion, the property also had working stables and even a private tavern.
The castle was put up for sale in 2018 and taken off the market in 2021.
