Published in Scotland Magazine Issue 16 on 15/9/2004.

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A border castle packed with surprises

Charles Douglas visits Thirlestane in the Scottish Borders

The Maitland Family has been established in the Scottish Borders for centuries. William Maitland was secretary to Mary Queen of Scots, and his brother became Lord Chancellor of Scotland and 1st Baron Thirlestane. It was the Lord Chancellor in the 1580s who built his castle on the old Lauder Fort which for centuries had guarded the southern approaches to Edinburgh from England.

The Lord Chancellor’s son was created 1st Earl of Lauderdale in 1624, and his son, the 2nd Earl, became the 1st and only Duke of Lauderdale. A formidable man, the duke soon became a confidant of King Charles II and served as Secretary of State for Scotland from 1661 to 1680. It was he who instructed the architect Sir William Bruce to enlarge and decorate Thirlestane and, in doing so, to create a magnificent palace suitable for a man who, at the time, was the most important figure in Scotland.

By the 19th century, however, with large sporting parties a regular feature of the entertainment, there was a necessity to further enlarge Thirlestane. To this end, the architects David Bryce and William Burn were employed to design two large wings flanking the central keep.

The south wing was constructed around a central courtyard and housed new kitchens, with additional bedrooms for staff. More bedrooms were introduced in the north wing.

The undertaking was handled with great sensitivity to Bruce’s plan of two centuries earlier.

The towers of the new wings were designed to match the outer towers of the origi.....

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By Charles Douglas

Section : Historic Houses

Page number : 16