Photo: Oxenfoord Castle by Richard West, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
About this place
Oxenfoord Castle stands above the Tyne Water, a kilometre north of Pathhead in Midlothian.
The present house dates largely from 1782, when the architect Robert Adam rebuilt an earlier 16th-century tower house into the castle seen today.
It is a category A listed building, with its grounds recorded in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland.
The castle remains in private ownership and now operates as a wedding and events venue rather than a visitor attraction with set opening hours.
Read more on WikipediaHistory
Robert Adam's 1782 remodelling transformed an earlier 16th-century tower house into the castle seen today, replacing much of the original fabric though the older fortified core survives beneath the later classical work. The castle became the seat of the Earl of Stair in 1840, a connection that shaped its standing in Midlothian. It has remained in private family ownership ever since.
Architecture
Robert Adam's 1782 rebuilding gave Oxenfoord its tower and turrets, layered over the surviving structure of the original 16th-century tower house.
Gardens & grounds
The grounds are listed in Scotland's Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes, with parkland and terraces that frame the castle on all sides.
Plan your visit
Nearest station: Newtongrange Rail Station (3.6 miles)
Nearby properties
Inveresk Lodge Garden
View Inveresk Lodge Garden on heritage mapNewhailes House, Musselburgh
Visit Newhailes House, Musselburgh View Newhailes House, Musselburgh on heritage mapBroadwoodside
View Broadwoodside on heritage mapHistoric places nearby
Within 5 miles of Oxenfoord Castle there are 4 historic properties, including 1 church, 1 castle and 1 historic site, across Historic Environment Scotland and National Trust for Scotland sites.
Within 10 miles of Oxenfoord Castle there are 22 historic properties, including 6 historic houses, 4 churchs and 3 historic sites, across Historic Environment Scotland, Historic Houses and National Trust for Scotland sites.
Within 20 miles of Oxenfoord Castle there are 46 historic properties, including 13 historic houses, 9 castles and 8 historic sites, across Historic Environment Scotland, Historic Houses and National Trust for Scotland sites.
Facts
A 16th-century tower house reshaped by Robert Adam in 1782 and still privately owned today.
- Type
- historic house
- Location
- Midlothian, Scotland
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