Lauder, Castle Hill

NT54NW 32 5338 4790.

(NT 5338 4790) Probable Fort (Site), Castle Hill: It is almost certain that Richard de Morville had a dwelling on Castle Hill (now occupied by Thirlestane Castle, NT54NW 7), as he built a church nearby in the 12th c (NT54NW 6). However, from its appearance, the strong position of Castle Hill must have been taken advantage of at a very early date. The hill was once much higher, parts of it having been removed to permit later and larger buildings.

Further eastward, along the line of its own direction, the hill passes, in several terraces, down to a retaining wall. Probably these terraces are the remnants of defensive earthworks, of prehistoric date.

W M'Conachie 1913

Richard de Morville's castle of Lauder was important enough to be included in the list of eight Scottish-held castles during the war of 1173-4 given by Roger Howden. (However, an inventory made by the first Earl of Lauderdale, embodied in an Act of Parliament of 1661, states that Hugh, the first of the de Morvilles, granted Thirlestane, near Lauder, to Elsi, son of Winter. This grant was confirmed between 1189 and 1196 by Hugh's grandson, William, to Elsi's son, Alan. The Maitlands of Thirlestane probably descended from this family. Therefore, the de Morville castle of Lauder could not have occupied this site, but see NT54NW 4).

W Stubbs 1867; G W S Barrow 1973.