Uttershill Castle

Uttershill Castle is a complex ruin on the top of a steep hill just south of Penicuik. It started out life as a two storey “bastle” house, which was basically a strongly defensive farmstead building of two storeys, stone-vaulted on both levels. This was built by the family who took their name from the nearby settlement of Penicuik, and they extended it upwards with another storey. In 1604 or thereabouts it passed to the Preston family, who held the building and estate for over a century.

The lands were sold off in the early 18th century, and the last Preston laird moved out after this, in 1719. It is likely that the building remained in use for a while as a farmhouse, but was abandoned, perhaps after the Jacobite period. In the late 19th century it was being used as a store for gunpowder, and already in ruins. Uttershill has been sold at least twice in the 20th century with apparent intention to restore it, but so far there has been no visible progress to that end. It is accessible although in a field, and there is no parking nearby save by blocking the field entrance.

HES Canmore database entry