Borthwick Castle

Borthwick Castle is one of the most recogniable towers in Scotland with its unusual and massive U-plan dating to the 1430s and Sir William Borthwick. It is now operated as a hotel and is therefore accessible to the public as well as there being good views from the surrounding estate.

The castle occupies a promontory between two rivers and was built on the site of an earlier fortification. The Borthwick family held the lands from antiquity, but first come into notice in the reign of David II. The castle has had a less eventful history than its owners, although it was besieged by Cromwellian forces and sports a cannon blast in one wall from 1650 to this day.

The castle remained in use throughout its history and was refurbished in the early 20th century before being leased out in the 1970s. At this point it was in use as a hotel, but the recent refurbishment has been far more extensive.

Official Borthwick Castle website

HES Canmore database entry