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Tantallon Castle (HS)

North Berwick

Set on a rocky promontory surrounded by steep cliffs, Tantallon was the principal castle of one of Scotland’s mightiest families the ‘Red Douglases’Earls of Angus. Built largely in the mid 14th century, the castle was immensely strong. It was defended by an outer ditch, a deep rock cut inner ditch, and a massive 50 foot high curtain wall with three great towers. During the 16th century, the castle was strengthened to resist artillery. A forework of a softer stone, better able to resist cannon fire, was built to protect the central tower. The castle was besieged many times. In 1528 King James V attacked the castle. He brought with him a sizeable gun-battery which fired at the castle walls for 20 days with no noticeable effect. In 1651 Oliver Cromwell’s troops were more successful. With heavier artillery they battered the castle into submission in under two weeks. The devastation caused by the English guns can still be seen today. The castle was virtually uninhabitable after the 1651 siege, and it has remained a ruin ever since.