Waughton Castle facts for kids

The old walls of Waughton Castle

Waughton Castle is a fascinating old castle that is now in ruins. It was built way back in the 1300s! You can find it in East Lothian, Scotland, about 3 miles (5 km) north of East Linton and 2 miles (3 km) west of Whitekirk. This historic site is protected as a scheduled monument, which means it's an important piece of history.

What Waughton Castle Looks Like Today

Waughton Castle used to be a large castle with a central courtyard. Today, only a part of one side, or "wing," of the castle is still standing.

The castle ruins sit on a rocky area that is about 15 feet (4.5 meters) higher than the land around it. This made it a good spot for defense!

• You can still see parts of a small tower on the southwest corner. It's built from rough stones (rubble) with smoother, cut stones (freestone) used for details. This tower stands about 25 feet (7.6 meters) tall.
• A narrow window in the tower's south wall suggests this part was built in the 1500s.
• There are also walls to the east and north of the rock, with another structure at the corner. However, these parts are thought to have been built much later.
• You can find a partly man-made staircase leading up the rock.
• In the castle grounds, there's also an old doocot, which is a building where pigeons were kept.

A Glimpse into Waughton Castle's Past

Inside the ruins of Waughton Castle

The first mention of a building at "Walchtoun" was in a document from 1395. This shows the site has been important for a very long time!

• For many years, Waughton Castle belonged to the powerful Hepburn family.
• Sadly, in 1547, the castle was attacked and damaged by the English.
• Later, when the castle was being looked after by someone called the Laird of Carmichael, a Hepburn who had lost his land raided it.
• The Hepburn family managed to get the castle back through legal ways. They owned it until a man named Alexander Cockburn bought it from John Hepburn.
• By the 1700s, the castle was no longer used as a home. Its stones were taken and used to build walls and cottages in the local area. This is why only ruins remain today.