Craigcrook Castle

The lands of Craigcrook were, in the 14th century, in the possession of the Graham family. In 1362 the lands were given to the chaplains of St Giles' Cathedral. They passed through several more owners before 1542, when William Adamson, a merchant and burgess of Edinburgh, took possession. In 1707 Strachan's servant, Helen Bell, was murdered beneath the Castle Rock in Edinburgh, en route to Craigcrook and the murderers used her key to enter Strachan's Edinburgh townhouse, where they stole £900 in silver coin and £100 in gold coin. Only one of the two men was punished for the crime: William Thomson being hanged in the Grassmarket for his crimes. It is not known when the castle itself was…

The castle is close to Corstorphine Hill, and was a fine country house convenient for the city. The history of the Parish of Cramond says, "To the S.W. of Drylaw, in a hollow at the foot of Corstorphine Hill, which here makes a turn or crook to the eastward, whence the name is derived, stands Craigcrook, apparently the most ancient edifice in the parish". It originated as a Z-plan tower house, but has had numerous additions, with the result that both within and without there is a jumble of styles. There is a round tower on the south-west corner, and a square tower to the north-east. The main block is about 60 by, and three storeys high. The ground floor was formerly vaulted. as is the upper…