Auldhame Castle

Auldhame Castle is a ruined 16th-century L-plan tower house in East Lothian, Scotland. It stands on a wooded ridge above Seacliff beach, about 3 miles east of North Berwick and less than half a mile from Tantallon Castle.

What is Auldhame Castle?

The building is a small fortified laird's house of the kind raised across lowland Scotland in the 1500s. Its L-shaped plan combines a main block with a projecting stair tower. The main block rose to three storeys, and bartizans (small corner turrets) crowned the top. Today the upper floors are largely gone, but parts of the vaulted basement survive, including a fireplace and a bread oven that hint at everyday life inside.

Who built it and when?

The castle is attributed to Adam Otterburn of Reidhall, Lord Provost of Edinburgh. He acquired church land here in the 1530s and built a fortified house on it. The site appears under several spellings in older records, including Oldham and Aldhame.

Why was it once called St Baldred's House?

Early publications labelled the ruin "St Baldred's House", linking it to a tradition about the Northumbrian saint Baldred, who is associated with this stretch of the East Lothian coast. Archaeologists now recognise the standing building as a 16th-century laird's house rather than an early saintly dwelling. Excavation in 2008 of the adjoining cemetery did, however, find evidence of a probable 9th-century chapel, so the ground has a much older religious history than the tower itself.

What happened to the castle later?

During Cromwell's campaign against nearby Tantallon in 1650, the castle was occupied and damaged. In the 1770s the ruin was used as a quarry, and the removal of stone explains much of its present condition. Documentary evidence for the castle is limited, so much of what is known comes from the surviving fabric and from archaeology.

Visiting Auldhame Castle

The ruin lies on the Seacliff Estate and can be visited in daylight hours. It makes a natural stop on a coastal outing from North Berwick, combined with Seacliff beach below and the much larger ruins of Tantallon Castle a short walk away. Expect an exterior visit to a weathered ruin set in woodland; the setting, with views over the coast, is much of the appeal.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Auldhame Castle? On a ridge above Seacliff beach, about 3 miles east of North Berwick in East Lothian.

How old is it? The tower house dates to the 16th century, and 2008 excavations point to a 9th-century chapel nearby.

Is it near Tantallon Castle? Yes, less than half a mile away.

Can I go inside? Parts of the vaulted basement survive, but the upper floors are lost; treat it as a ruin and take care around the walls.

Who built it? The castle is attributed to Adam Otterburn of Reidhall, Lord Provost of Edinburgh.