Dirleton Castle

August 19, 2006 at 12:37 pm | Posted in Scotland | Leave a comment

The most impressive castle I have ever been to. Dirleton Castle. It breathes history (and I wouldn’t be surprised if it were haunted, like most of the places here in Scotland). When we got there, a wedding ceremony inside the court yard had just finished, with a strings trio playing while we explored the castle: magnificent!

Here is a bit of history from Wikipedia:

“Dirleton Castle (56°02′45″N, 2°46′42″W) is a medieval fortress in the village of Dirleton, East Lothian, Scotland. Built in the 13th century by John De Vaux and altered through various phases of conquest and rebuilding throughout the years, today the castle is partially ruined but is maintained as a tourist attraction by Historic Scotland. The name De Vaux also lives on in the village as the nearby Open Arms Hotel has named their brasserie “De Vaux’s”.

After being used as a base by Oliver Cromwell, the castle was partly destroyed in 1651 when attacked by cannon. It was soon acquired by a local family who lived at the nearby Archerfield Estate. After becoming renowned for its gardens it became state property in 1923.”

A few views of/from the gardens which “are home to the world’s longest herbaceous border, as certified by the Guinness World Records and are a popular setting for weddings and other summer events.”

The perfect enchanted little cottage…