Annette and Chris on the Dirleton Castle Bridge.
There is a history of the castle at the bottom of this page.

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DIRLETON CASTLE is a 13th century castle which stands on a rocky knoll, dominating the center of the picturesque village of the same name.

A brief history :

The Dirleton estate was acquired by the de Vaux family, from Rouen in Normandy, in the reign of King Malcolm IV (1153-1165). The first stone castle was raised by the Anglo-Norman De Vaux family around 1225; it was one of the most formidable castles of its time. The 1st castle consisted of four round towers and 2 square towers set randomly around the site which was dictated by the shape of the rocky knoll.  The yellow clustered towers of Dirleton Castle high on its rocky knoll strike an imposing sight. It was originally surrounded by a deep fresh water-filled ditch which heightened its position. To the east was a wooden Barmkin which enclosed the castle's town. Also, the present Victorian gardens around the castle give a false impression since the whole area was bog and marshland which added to the castle's outer defenses.

In 1279 King Edward I of England attacked the castle which was strong enough to resist the English siege. The English army, under Bishop Anthony Bek of Durham, eventually did take the castle in 1298 when food ran out.

Later, in 1311, King Robert the Bruce had the castle recaptured.  Then, in 1314, Robert the Bruce ordered its destruction,  pulling down much of the castle to ensure the English armies could not make future use of it.

In the reign of David II ownership passed to the Halyburton family who reconstructed the castle. In 1350 a great rebuilding work was undertaken by the Haliburtons, a new gate house kitchen, vaults and great hall were built on the stumps of the earlier 13th century towers.

In 1505, the last male of the Haliburton family married into the Ruthven family. When he died in 1515 the castle passed to the Ruthven family.  In the 1500’s the Ruthvens added a walled garden outside the castle and a new oblong Ruthven range to the courtyard of the castle.   A bee hive docot and a wall replacing the earlier barmkin palisade were added to the castle-town.

Patrick, 3rd Lord Ruthven, was a staunch Protestant and was one of the main culprits in the murder of one of Mary Queen of Scots' favorites, David Riccio, in 1566. In 1582 the newly created Earl of Gowrie was involved in a plot - The Ruthven Raid - to capture King James VI and hold him in the Earl's house in Perth. Although he was pardoned for this, he eventually overstepped the mark in a plot to seize Stirling castle in 1585 and was beheaded. But the 3rd Earl Gowrie became identified with another plot against the king in 1600 - the so-called "Gowrie Conspiracy". The Ruthven line, having been involved in intrigue and murder, was terminated by the state. King James VI gave the castle to Sir Thomas Erskine but it was sold in 1625 to Sir James Douglas.

In 1649 a number of men and women were accused of witchcraft and held at the castle. They were found guilty, strangled and burnt at the stake.

In 1650 a group of Scottish moss troops were operating from Dirleton attacking Cromwell's convoys.  In November 1650 Oliver Cromwell sent 1,600 men (under General Monk) to capture the castle. They bombarded the castle using mortar pieces to tear open the gatehouse and entered by storm.  After this the castle was allowed to decay.

In 1663 the castle passed to the Nisbet family and was abandoned as a residence in favor of a new manor house at Archerfield.
Stone was looted from the site as the castle became the local quarry used to build walls and cottages locally

The castle is now in the care of Historic Scotland and substantial ruins remain, including the draw-bridge, chapel and a pit-prison. The ruins are surrounded by fine gardens and a well-preserved beehive Doo'cot from 1550.