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Introduction: REDHOUSE CASTLE near Longniddry To the west of the East Lothian village of Longniddry stands the grand looking ruin of Redhouse castle.The first long oblong plan tower with barmkin courtyard wall was built shortly before 1600 by John Laing,the Keeper of the Signet. It is very likely that he used rubble from the nearby Longniddry castle which was slighted in 1548 by the Scots, because its owner 'Hugh Douglas of Londniddry' had sided with the English during the wars of the 'Rough Wooing' when the English used fire and sword throughout the Lothians to try and force the marriage of the infant Mary Queen of Scots (1542-1567/87) to the English Prince Edward. Redhouse soon passed to the Hamilton family and was later remodelled by Sir John Hamilton which gives the ruin its grand appearance today.He extended the oblong plan keep into almost an L-plan with ornate conical roofed long bartizans and crowstepped gables. A lectern type Doo'cot was added alongside the original Barmkin gateway and gable markings on the east facing side of the original tower trace a great lean-to blockhouse. Beyond the barmkin are several gun-loops built into a long low set outerwall protecting todays modern garden. After the 1746 Jacobite rebellion the Hamiltons forfeited the estate of Redhouse and the castle fell into decay. But unlike other castles in the Lothians it didn't become the local quarry and has remained surprisingly intact,since all that is missing is the roof and floors and the lean-to buildings in the courtyard. The castle would be ideal for any would-be reconstruction builder. Andrew Spratt |
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