Tantallon Castle, Scotland: Ruined 14th Century Fort

Tantallon Castle, a ruined 14th century fort, was the last medieval curtain wall castle to be constructed in Scotland.

Credit: Historic Scotland

One of Scotland's most photogenic and spectacular ruins, Tantallon Castle boasts a fiery history and a dramatic setting on the edge of the East Lothian coastline.

Today, visitors can ascend Tantallon’s towers for spectacular views of the Bass Rock and to watch gannets plunge into the North Sea.

Tantallon stands as a distinctive structure in Scotland, characterised by a solitary expansive wall fortifying a coastal headland.

Its defences are defined by steep sea cliffs guarding the south-east, north-east, and north-west approaches, augmented by modest defensive barriers.

At the southwest, a formidable curtain wall seals off the promontory's terminus, delineating the inner courtyard.

Crafted from indigenous red sandstone, this curtain wall features towers at either extremity and a robust gatehouse at its heart, serving as residential quarters.

Completing the core of the castle, a northern range of edifices, including a hall, encircles a courtyard measuring approximately 70 by 44 metres.

The castle itself was constructed during the mid-14th century under the direction of William Douglas, who ascended to the title of 1st Earl of Douglas in 1358 following the controversial demise of his godfather, Sir William Douglas of Liddesdale.

The Douglas lineage underwent a schism in the 1380s, birthing the 'Black' and 'Red' factions.

Tantallon fell under the domain of the junior branch, the earls of Angus, also dubbed the 'Red Douglases,' passing into the hands of George Douglas, an illegitimate offspring of the Earl of Douglas.

For the ensuing three centuries, this lineage maintained ownership of the castle, adapting it to the evolving strategies of warfare while frequently engaging in conflicts with the monarchy.

Tantallon Castle endured several sieges throughout its history, notably by James IV in 1491, James V in 1528, and Oliver Cromwell in 1651.

However, following Cromwell’s siege, the castle lay in ruins, its once formidable structure utterly devastated and abandoned, never to be restored or inhabited again.

In 1699, the Marquis of Douglas relinquished ownership of Tantallon Castle, selling it to Hew Dalrymple, Lord North Berwick.

In 1944, amidst the preparations for the Normandy invasion, the castle found a new role.

A few weeks prior to D-Day, captured German radars, crucial to the defense of the French coast, were relocated to Tantallon Castle.

There, they were utilised in the training of RAF bomber crews, including the renowned "Dambusters" of 617 Squadron.

This endeavour formed part of a larger strategy aimed at deceiving the Germans regarding the true location of the impending Allied invasion.

On the eve of the D-Day landings, bombers executed a strategic manoeuvre by releasing copious thin strips of aluminum foil in meticulously designed formations near two distant sites unrelated to Normandy.

This tactical deployment created a deceptive mirage of expansive naval flotillas closing in on German radar detection.

The refinement of this technique had been honed in the vicinity of Tantallon Castle, specifically in its surrounding waters.

Today, the castle is in the care of Historic Environment Scotland.

The dramatic cliff-top ruins of Tantallon Castle are quite a sight, particularly its remaining curtain wall – the best example of castle architecture from the 1300s anywhere in Scotland.

Visitors can climb up to the castle’s battlements and enjoy views over the North Sea to the Bass Rock and its large seabird colonies, as well as discover more about archaeological digs at the castle and view replica guns used to defend the castle against James IV and James V.

Tantallon Castle is also a popular filming location, and appears in the film Under the Skin, starring Scarlett Johansson.

Someone who recently visited the castle said: “This is the most beautiful place I've ever seen. The castle is huge and you can go inside on your own.

”Some areas are closed but this did not detract from the experience of being in a very old castle with an incredible history.

”The views are stunning of the sea and the countryside. It's very dramatic, esp with the wind blowing and the waves crashing... Staff at the visitors' centre are friendly and knowledgeable.”

If you’d like to visit, the address is: North Berwick, Lothian, Scotland, EH39 5PN.

Follow the A198 out of North Berwick for about 4 miles and you’ll find a car park to the side of the road.

The Visitor Centre can be found at the end of a lovely quarter mile walk and the castle is beyond this.

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