Smeaton House facts for kids

Smeaton House is an old castle in Scotland. It's also called Smeaton Castle. Today, it's known as Dalkeith Home Farm. This castle was built a long time ago, in the 1400s. You can find it near Dalkeith and Inveresk in East Lothian.

Discovering Smeaton House History

In the year 1450, the land where Smeaton Castle stands belonged to a big church called Dunfermline Abbey. Later, a family named the Richardsons took over the land. Today, the old castle buildings are part of a farm.

Robert Richardson's Role

Robert Richardson was an important person. He was the treasurer of Scotland. This meant he managed the country's money. People say he built a new house at Smeaton in 1577. He helped raise money for Regent Moray. Regent Moray was a leader who ruled Scotland for a young king. Robert did this by using the special jewelry of Mary, Queen of Scots, as a guarantee for a loan.

Queen Mary's Jewels

These jewels included a gold chain belt with pearls. There was also a hair decoration with 57 diamonds. Robert's son, James Richardson, returned these valuable items. He took them back to Holyrood Palace on March 18, 1580.

Villagers' Concerns in 1581

In 1581, people living near Smeaton had a problem. They complained about the Richardsons to the Privy Council of Scotland. The Privy Council was a group of advisors to the king. For a long time, these villagers had rented their land from Dunfermline Abbey.

New Land Agreements

They were upset because the Richardsons had made new land agreements. These agreements were called "feu." The villagers said the Richardsons promised not to change their old renting rights. But the Richardsons then asked for higher rents.

A Mysterious Death at Smeaton

Archibald Douglas, who was the 8th Earl of Angus, passed away at Smeaton. This happened on August 4, 1588. People at the time believed his illness was caused by magic. Because of this, two women, Barbara Napier and Euphame MacCalzean, were accused of witchcraft.

Royal Visits to Smeaton

In the 1590s, King James VI of Scotland often stayed nearby. He and his wife, Queen Anne of Denmark, visited Dalkeith Palace. Queen Anne even had dinner at Smeaton sometimes. One time she dined there was on August 8, 1598.

Exploring Smeaton House Structure

The castle once had a courtyard with round towers. Now, only two of these towers are still standing. The wall that connected them, called the curtain wall, is also there. These two remaining towers are on the western side of the castle.

Remaining Towers and Buildings

One of the towers has been made shorter over time. But the other tower is still four stories tall. It has a square stair-tower next to it. One part of the castle buildings also remains. It has changed a lot over the years. This part has a basement with a curved, arched ceiling.

Traces of a Moat

You can also find signs that there used to be a moat around the castle. A moat is a deep, wide ditch, often filled with water, that was built to protect castles.