Archaeology Notes

Event ID 717296

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/717296

NMRS REFERENCE:

NT57NE 1.00 57453 75792 Castle

NT57NE 1.01 57472 75784 Garden

(NT 5746 7579) Hailes Castle (NR) (Remains of).

OS 6" map, (NG).

History: Hailes Castle, in the County of East Lothian, is situated on the south bank of the River Tyne a little over a mile to the west of East Linton and four miles to the east of the Royal Burgh of Haddington. Described in old charters as "the place and fortalice of Hailes," it was built in the 13th century, probably by an Earl of Dunbar and March, and was enlarged at the end of the 14th century by the Hepburns. Unlike the Castle of Dirleton, six miles northward, there is no documentary record to show that Hailes Castle was involved in the Wars of Independence.

The lands of South Halls and North Halls (Hailes) and Traprain, having been forfeited by Hew Gourlay, were held by charter by Adam Hepburn from King David II. Tradition affirms that he was an Englishman who received these lands from the Earl of Dunbar and March as a reward for having rescued that nobleman from the attack of a savage horse. For over two hundred years, until 1567, the Castle belonged to the Hepburns, and the last of this name to own it was James, fourth Earl of Bothwell, who was the principal instigator in the plot which brought about the murder of Darnley, second husband of Mary Queen of Scots. After her abduction near Edinburgh by Bothwell on the 24th April, 1567, she rested at Hailes when being conducted to Dunbar Castle, which was then in Bothwell's hands. The Earl, now Duke of Orkney, became the Queen's third husband.

Amongst other members of the Hepburn family who played a part in the history of their country were Sir Patrick Hepburn of Hailes and his son Patrick who, on the 19th August, 1388, together gallantly saved the banner of Douglas from falling into the hands of the English at Otterburn. It is also of interest to note that in 1363 Sir Patrick obtained a safe-conduct to visit the shrine of St Thomas at Canterbury, and in 1381 he was granted permission by the English King to pass through England with twelve men and twelve horses on the understanding that he was about to proceed to the Holy Land. His son, Patrick, was slain at West Nisbet, near Jedburgh, in a conflict against the Earls of Northumberland and March.

Another Patrick Hepburn, who died in 1482, was created Lord Hailes, and he was succeeded by his son, Patrick, who, in 1488, was belted Earl of Bothwell for services rendered to the Crown. One member of this family wsa Bishop of Moray, another Bishop of Brechin, while John Hepburn, Prior of St Andrews, founded St Leonard's College in the University of St Andrews in 1512, and some years later built the fine precinct wall and towers that enclose d the Cathedral and Priory.

Owing to its situation Hailes Castle was not counted a place of Strategical importance, and played no prominent part in history. It was attacked on Candlemas 1400 by the Earl of March and Hotspur Percy, who, after burning the village of Hailes, and making two unsuccessful assaults on the fortalice, were surprised after sunset by the Master of Douglas with an armed force, and put to flight with the loss of camp and booty. The Castle was besieged and captured in 1443 by Archibald Dunbar, who "slew them that he found thairin." Building operations were in progress in 1507, as in October of that year King James IV visited the Castle and ordered drink silver to be distributed to the masons. In 1532 the Castle was burnt, and there is evidence of this on the arch of the large window of the Chapel. During the Duke of Somerset's incursion into Scotland in 1547 he passed Hailes. Lord Grey of Wilton, Governor of Berwick, when on his way to Haddington, occupied the Castle on the 26th February, 1547-48, and had the Earl of Bothwell's standard delivered to him. We can assume that the Castle was well furnished, as, in a letter to the Duke of Somerset, Wilton says:--"The house is fu the bigness of suche excellent bewtie within (presumably the furnishings) as I have seldom sene any in Englande except the Kinges Majesties and of verie good strengthe." In February and March, 1547-48, Hugh Douglas of Longniddry held the Castle for the English, as the Earl of Bothwell was favourable to their side. This is instanced in a minute of the Privy Council of Scotland when John, Lord Borthwick, was commanded by the Lord Governor (the Earl of Arran) to procure the Castle and "keep the samyn surlie fra our auld ynemies of Ingland and all uthairis" and not to deliver "the said place and fortalice to Patrick Erle Bothwell nor nain uthairie of his name." In July of that year French troops were encamped near the Castle.

After the forfeiture of "Mary's Bothwell" in 1567 the Castle was granted by James VI to Hercules Stewart (a natural son of Lord John Stewart, Commendator of the Priory of Coldingham), and during the greater part of the 17th century it belonged to the family of Seton. After Cromwell's victory at Dunbar the Castle was amongst the local strongholds "quitted" by the Scots; Sir George Seton was then 4,700 in English money for troops quartered on his tenants and for damage caused by them. The Setons sold Hailes about 1700 to David Dalrymple, better known as Lord Hailes. In 1926 the Earl of Balfour, then the owner, transferred the guardianship of the Castle to the Commissioners of HM Works.

To the south of Hailes, a mile distant, is Traprain Law or Dunpender, a fortified site of early date. During excavations on the west flank of this hill, carried out in 1919 by the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, a remarkable hoard of silver objects was unexpectedly brought to light. The 'Treasure of Traprain', which lay buried for 1400 years, is now to be seen at the Natural Museum of Antiquities, Queen Street, Edinburgh.

Description: There are few castles in Scotland showing masonry of 13th century date. Three are in East Lothian; Dirleton, Yester, and Hailes.

At Hailes the eastern half of the site was the part occupied by the original castle, and the western part by the 14th century addition. The lower part of tower "A" (see plan), the lower parts of the curtain wall extending eastward along the rocky bank of the river, and the vaulted stairway leading to a well are all that remain of the 13th century work. The tower, which was at the NW angle of the original castle, contains a dark, vaulted pit prison provided with a garderobe and air shaft; prisoners were lowered into the prison through a hatch in the roof. The upper part of the tower contained living rooms and the ruble masonry indicates a reconstruction. At a late period the interior was converted into a dovecot. The hall and other apartments appear to have been at the east end of the castle, where there are the remains of a massive outside wall, 7 feet 6 inches thick. Stone moulded details found during the operations indicate a rebuilding of this part of the castle in the early part of the 16th century.

The 14th century work is represented by the west tower "B," the lower part of the curtain wall connecting it with "A," and the massive curtain wall which now ends abruptly just beyond the entrance doorway. The tower has a vaulted basement with living rooms over. In its north wall is a pit prison, almost more horrible than the one in the older tower.

The building (15th century) set between the towers has a vaulted bakehouse in the basement with a chapel over. The chapel had a doorway entered from an external wooden platform, and at the east end is a piscina and the remains of a large arched tracery window, an insertion of early 16th century date. There were buildings against the south curtain wall, and outside, extending along the length of the wall, was a great ditch which is now filled in.

At the end of the 18th century the west tower was complete, and the chapel building was roofed and used as a granary.

J S Richardson 1954.

The remains of the castle are as described above but the outer edge of the field-in ditch, as shown on guide plan, cannot be distinguished on the ground.

Visited by OS (WDJ) 25 October 1962.

NT 574 757 A watching brief was maintained in July 2003 during the excavation of a series of small shallow pits for a new fence line on the S side of the service range immediately E of the Great Hall block. There were no features or finds of archaeological significance.

Archive to be deposited in the NMRS.

Sponsor: HS

G Ewart 2003