Dirleton Castle

The following is from the Historic Environment Scotland Gardens and Designed Landscapes Inventory. For the most up-to-date Inventory entry, please visit the Historic Environment Scotland website:

Location and Setting

Dirleton Castle is situated on the east side of Dirleton village green. The south coast of the Firth of Forth lies approximately 1 mile (2km) to the north. The town of North Berwick is situated some 2 miles (3km) to the east whilst Edinburgh lies 20 miles (32km) to the west. The A198 forms the northern boundary of the designed landscape. The Castle stands on a rocky outcrop which was chosen for its strategic position overlooking the surrounding flat landscape. The immediate surrounding landscape is largely farmed although there are extensive areas of woodland to the north-west within the policies of Archerfield. From the high position of the Castle, views can be gained across the surrounding Lothians and north, beyond the Firth of Forth to Fife. The Castle, surrounding walls, Doocot and Garden Tower are moderately significant scenic features within the village of Dirleton.

The Castle stands overlooking some 11 acres (4.5ha) of designed landscape which is enclosed by walls on all sides, except to the east, where it is bordered by the drive to the Mains Farm which lies to the south-east of the Castle. Documentary evidence of the development of the designed landscape is confined mainly to 19th century sources; a survey of the Castle Garden and Lands of 1844 by John Mason, another survey by Thomas Dawson of 1860, the 1st edition OS map of c.1865 and the 2nd edition OS map of c.1900. Comparison of these maps shows that although the extent of designed landscape remained consistent throughout the 19th century, the extent of the other estate lands was reduced between 1844-60. The gardens associated with Dirleton today are confined within the boundary walls.

Landscape Components

Architectural Features

Dirleton Castle is a category A listed building and a scheduled monument. It dates from three main periods which can be detected from the remains. The 13th century building by the de Vaux family has free-stone ashlar masonwork. The doorways have pointed archheads. The windows also have pointed archheads and tall window slits. The late 14th & 15th century period of construction can be identified by the rubble masonwork, round-arched or square-headed doors and square-headed windows. The 16th century construction also has rubble masonwork although the individual stones are smaller and, in parts, material from the demolished 13th century phase has been re-used. The 16th century windows are square-headed, as are the doors although the larger entrances have semi- circular heads. The interior plan of the building has been surveyed and is well documented in the guidebook and the Royal Commission Inventory No.27. The Doocot, also listed category A, dates from the 16th century and is incorporated into the modern east boundary wall. It is beehive-type, circular on plan, and stands 25' high. The north boundary wall extends from the Doocot and terminates on the north-west corner at the Garden Tower, which is a round, two- storeyed, castellated building. The arched Gateway, which stands to the north-east of the Castle is a remnant of the barmkin wall which enclosed the Castle, gardens, stables and outbuildings. It was built during the Ruthven period (1505-1586) and is statutorily listed.

Woodland

A small deciduous wood, planted since 1900, is situated to the south-east of the Castle, between it and the Castle Mains. Reference to the 1st & 2nd edition OS maps indicates that it was the site of an earlier walled garden, a subsidiary of the main walled enclosure which at that time was the flower garden of Archerfield House. An enclosure in the south-west corner of the site, which was indicated as woodland on the 19th century OS maps, is now the site of the maintenance depot for the gardens and is separated from them by a mature beech hedge.

The Gardens

The gardens provide an attractive setting to the ruins of Dirleton Castle. Entry is gained through a gateway in the west wall, which is flanked by yew and holly hedges. The gateway opens out to a broad open lawn which is bordered by a sinuous bed of herbaceous plants and shrubs. Around the outer edge of the border is a footpath and beyond it, on the north and south sides of the lawn, are further borders. All the borders are separated from the footpath by low box hedging. They are well stocked with numerous colourful perennial plants with some shrubs to provide colour and interest outwith the main flowering period. Wisteria, Magnolia and other climbing plants clothe the interior of the northern boundary wall. The layout is most attractive. It was established some 60 years ago on the site of an earlier parterre. The layout of these 19th century parterres is shown in an account of 1865 (Journal of Horticulture ∓ Cottage Gardener, November 28th 1865). It describes the gardens surrounding the ruined castle at that time as 'some of the best examples of modern flower gardening, together with others of a style some two centuries old.' On the site of the present herbaceous borders was an area of informal flower beds linked by gravel walks. The boundary wall was clothed with roses, myrtles, Magnolias, Wisterias etc., some of which remain today. They flower beds themselves were stocked with varieties of Geranium, Lobelia, Verbena, Alyssum and Caleceolaria.

Another flower garden was sited along the western boundary wall. Its layout was more geometrical than the other garden but was stocked with similar plant material. It was ornamented by specimens of yew (Taxus baccata), cedar (Cedrus deodora), Monkey puzzle (Araucaria araucana) and Lawsons cypress (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana).

Other parts of the garden appear to have had a similar form to that which remains today. From the present herbaceous borders, the footpath climbs eastwards towards the Doocot. It crosses lawns, ornamented by specimen trees, and continues past the rocky outcrop on which the castle stands. Specimen trees have also been planted on the lawn which extends down to the old entrance drive to Castle Mains. Access to the castle itself is from the south-east side by a wooden bridge built across the ditch on the site of an earlier drawbridge.

To the west of the castle is the sunken Bowling Green. It is some 80-90 yards square and is surrounded by lawns on which yew trees of various ages stand. In 1985, Alan Mitchell measured ten specimen yew trees and specimens of redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), beech (Fagus sylavtica) and sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus). Some of these had been planted this century whilst others were earlier. According to 19th century accounts and, in particular, a sketch by J.P. Neale, a continuous hedge once enclosed the Bowling Green. It has now gone. West of the Bowling Green, the footpath returns north and rejoins the lawn through a gap in the high hedge.