Ruins of Auldhame Castle
Plaster freize depicting animals and a tree, Auldhame Castle

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

Description

The castle was built in the 16th century, probably by Adam Otterburn of Reidhall, Lord Provost of Edinburgh. It consists of a three-storey main block with a projecting stair-tower. Part of a vaulted basement kitchen remains, with a bread oven. The upper floors are mostly gone. Some plaster remains on the walls, including traces of a moulded decorative frieze.

Archaeological excavation

One of the three supposed corpses of Saint Baldred of Tyninghame was said to have been buried at the site in 756. A cemetery site in an adjoining field was excavated in 2008, the remains of at least 326 individual skeletons were noted, plus the foundations of a probable chapel with an estimated 9th century date (based on comparisons with similar structures).[1]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Historic Environment Scotland. "Excavation (851176)". Canmore. Retrieved 10 July 2021.

56°03′10″N 2°38′24″W / 56.0528°N 2.6401°W / 56.0528; -2.6401


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