Saltcoats Castle

A few years ago, whilst on a circular walk in the area, we unexpectedly stumbled across Saltcoats Castle. As a lover of ruined castles, I was excited to see what I could uncover about this hidden treasure.

Saltcoats Castle is heavily overgrown with vegetation, which makes exploration difficult.

Saltcoats Castle was built around 1592 by Patrick Levingstoun (Livingstone) of Saltcoats.

Local legend has it, that around 1590, Patrick Livingstone killed a wild boar in the woods of Gullane. He was then rewarded with the lands of Saltcoats, close to where he killed the boar. The boar appears on the Levingstoun of Saltcoats Coat of Arms.

An Armorial Stone dated 1592, commemorating the castle's erection, was removed from the castle and is now mounted above the door of a cottage nearby.

In 1598, Patrick married Margaret Fawside. There is an oak bed that Patrick made for his wife Margaret, after being saved from Fawside Castle, it can now be seen at the Biggar Museum.

Saltcoats Castle remained in the hands of the Livingstone's until the late 18th century. There is a lintel over a door in the garden wall engraved 1695 and the initials GL. It is assumed that this refers to the George Livingstone who is mentioned in the parliamentary records as George Levingstoun of Saltcoats in 1661.

In the 18th century, a Livingstone heiress married Alexander Menzies of Culterallers (Culter, Lanarkshire). Their daughter, Margaret Menzies, married John Hamilton of Pencaitland in 1709, and Saltcoats became the property of the Hamilton family.

Margaret outlived John and her second husband, William Carmichael, the son of the 1st Earl of Hyndford. She lived in the castle and finally died there in 1790. She is thought to be the final resident of Saltcoats Castle.

Saltcoats Castle's courtyard contained a range of two storey buildings with lofts. To the west of the courtyard were two towers with vaulted cellars. Between the two towers was an arched walkway and the thick walls contained gun holes.

In the late 17th century, a wall was added to the courtyard to enclose an orchard and extensive gardens.

By 1810, the stone from the castle began to be used for local building work, it was utilised in new farm cottages and stone walls.

You can also get a fab view of Bass Rock from here.

Saltcoats Castle is designated a Scheduled Monument with Historic Environment Scotland.

The route to the castle is just under 1km.

Follow the above route, or find on OS Maps.