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Tantallon Castle is 31 miles east of
Edinburgh, 3 miles east of North
Berwick, built from the 1300s for William
Douglas.
Tantallon Castle is open 1st Apr to 30 Sept:
9.30am to 5.00pm. 1 Oct to 31 Mar: 10am to 4pm.
There is a small entrance fee. Postcode: EH39
5PN.
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Tantallon Castle was built from the 1300s
for William Douglas, with that Clan becoming
one of the most powerfull in Scotland, with
some Married into Royalty, leading to
accusations they had desires to become Kings of
Scotland.
You can explore the Castle and Dovecot where
they kept Doves for Eggs and Food. The views
from the top of the Castle are amazing, along
the Coast and out to Bass Rock.
Tantallon Castle History
1300s early - Sir James Douglas
was a Scottish Knight that helped Robert the
Bruce become King of Scotland during the
First War of Scottish
Independence. James Douglas was awarded land in
the area of Tantallon for his reward.
1346 - William Douglas, nephew Sir James
Douglas, returned from France to claim his
Inheritance as Chief of the Douglas family in
the Tantallon area.
1350 - William Douglas was created Earl of
Douglas, with the earliest parts of Tantallon
Castle built around that time as a show of
strength. This line of the Family were knows as
the Red Douglas.
1369 - Archibald the Grim became head of the
Douglas line in southwest Scotland, Lord of
Galloway, known as the Black Douglas, with his
main Castle being Threave Castle by Castle
Douglas.
1397 - George Douglas of Tantallon Castle
married Princess Mary Stewart, daughter of King
Robert III.
1426 - The Black and Red Douglas families
began Feuding.
1455 - the Douglas of Tantallon led a Royal
force that defeated the Black Douglas at the
Battle of
Arkinholm.
1482 - the Douglas of Tantallon began
feuding against the Royals.
1490 - Angus Douglas joined Henry VII of
England in an attempt to overthrow James IV of
Scotland.
1491 - Tantallon Castle was besieged by
James IV, with Guns from Edinburgh used to
force Angus to give up the Castle.
1493 - Angus was created Chancellor of
Scotland, leading to him regaining
Tantallon.
1514 - Archibald Douglas married James IV's
widow Margaret Tudor, daughter of Henry VII.
Margaret was at that time ruling Scotland for
her infant son James V. Archibald kept the
young King at Tantallon for a number of
years.
1528 - the sixteen-year-old James V escaped,
gathered his Forces, then laid siege to
Tantallon Castle with Guns from Dunbar
Castle.
1529 - Tantallon Castle was surrendered to
the King, with it then being used as a Royal
Fortress.
1542 - the death of James V led to Tantallon
Castle being returned to the Douglas.
1542 - Archibald was working with Henry VIII
to try to negotiate a Marriage between the
infant Mary, Queen of Scots, and the son of
Henry, Prince Edward. Mary was moved to France
around that time for her safety.
1544 - Archibald was imprisoned at Blackness
Castle by Edinburgh for supporting the
English. He later changed sides to support the
Scottish cause.
1557 - Archibald died at Tantallon, leading
to the Castle being seized by the Mother of
Mary Queen of Scots, Mary of Guise.
1561 - Mary Queen of Scots returned from
France to rule Scotland.
1566 - Mary Queen of Scots visited Tantallon
Castle.
1600s - the English Civil War spread into
Scotland after many Scots supported the Stuart
Kings. This War escalated into Wars over
Religion between Catholics and Protestants, and
different forms of Protestantism.
The Douglas of Tantallon had remained
Catholic, leading to a number of attacks by
Covenanters and the Parliamentarian forces of
Oliver Cromwell.
1651 - only 91 men at Tantallon held out
against 2,000 men of Oliver Cromwell's army for
12 days, until they were forced to surrender
after Cannon partially destroyed the Douglas
Tower. After this Siege, Tantallon was left in
Ruins, never to be Repaired or Inhabited
again.
1699 - the Ruins of Tantallon Castle were
sold to Sir Hew Dalrymple, owner of the Barony
of North Berwick, Bass Rock, and Fidra
Island.
Dalrymple allowed some of the Stone from
Tantallon to be taken for other Buildings in
the area.
1808 - Sir Walter Scott's poem Marmion
contains much reference to Tantallon
Castle.
1800s late - the Dalrymple's began some
Restoration work.
1924 - Tantallon Castle was handed over to
the Government by Sir Hew Hamilton-Dalrymple.
It is now run by Historic Environment Scotland
as a Tourist Attraction.
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