Midhope Castle

Midhope Castle is a tower house near the Scottish town of South Queensferry in the Unitary Authority West Lothian. In 1971 the building was added to the Scottish lists of monuments in the highest category A monument. Furthermore, it is classified as a Scheduled monument.

History

As a builder of incurred in the late 16th century Midhope Castle applies Alexander Drummond of Midhope from Clan Drummond. Later it went to the Earls of Linlithgow on the Clan Livingstone. Two extensions to the east were added to an unspecified time in the 17th century. The Hope family acquired the building in 1678 and incorporated it directly to their eastern property to Hopetoun House on. In 1926 Midhope Castle was still inhabited. Previously, it had been subdivided into individual residential units, which were provided to the employees of the property available. In 1962, the building was then described as vacant and it was in a bad condition. Around 1990, restoration work was carried out.

Description

Midhope Castle is located about four kilometers west of South Queensferry, near the southern shore of the Firth of Forth, near the brook Midhope Burn. The original four-storey tower house was built of rubble stone and has a square ground plan. Alone in the crowd watch towers this was trimmed to blocks. The gable of the slate-roofed gable roof are working as gable. Is designed in the style of the Renaissance entrance portal, which crowned a segment gable with the initials G. L. On the north facing front. The three-storey east wing dates from the 17th century. At the same time also the access gate was added. Meanwhile, segmental arch is made of ashlar.