Skip to content
WordPress site playing up? Vincony fixes it — today, from $5.Get it fixed →
The Great Britain Guide logoThe Great Britain Guide

Castles · Central Scotland

Oldwoodhouselee Castle

In or near Auchendinny.

♿ Wheelchair: limited👪 Family-friendly

Oldwoodhouselee Castle — scheduled monument in Midlothian, Scotland, UK.

Trees by the Former Railway - geograph.org.uk - 7344705

Anne Burgess — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence

Plan your visit

Typical visit
1.5 h–3 h
Nearest railway station
Newtongrange · 7.8 km
  • Family-friendly
  • Limited wheelchair access

Getting there & planning your visit

To visit Oldwoodhouselee Castle, the nearest railway station is Newtongrange, located 7.8 km away. The postcode for sat-nav is EH25 9QJ. Entry is subject to limited wheelchair accessibility.

Directions on Google Maps →

About

Oldwoodhouselee Castle is a castle in the United Kingdom — fortified architecture from the medieval, Tudor, or Victorian-revival period. Heritage designation: scheduled monument. Wikidata describes it as: "scheduled monument in Midlothian, Scotland, UK". Coordinates: 55.8416°, -3.1876°.

Photo gallery

360° viewimagery from 2023

Imagery © Mapillary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0

Heritage listing

Old Woodhouselee Castle was a 16th-century tower house located approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) northeast of Penicuik, Midlothian, Scotland. It was situated south of the River Esk, near a dismantled railway track.

From Historic Environment Scotland under OGL v3.

From the Wikipedia article

Old Woodhouselee Castle was a 16th-century tower house located approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) northeast of Penicuik, Midlothian, Scotland. It was situated south of the River Esk, near a dismantled railway track.

Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.

Background

History

It is suggested that Old Woodhouselee Castle was built by Oliver Sinclair in the first half of the 16th century, though Historic Environment Scotland dates it more broadly to the 16th or early 17th century. The property belonged to the Hamiltons of Bothwellhaugh. According to reports, Regent Moray expelled Lady Hamilton and her young from the castle, leaving them naked; the child subsequently died, and Lady Hamilton reportedly went mad. Her husband, James Hamilton of Bothwellhaugh and Woodhouselee, later assassinated Regent Moray at Linlithgow in 1570. The castle was demolished in the late 17th century, with its materials used to construct Woodhouselee, a building that has since also…

Architecture

The castle was situated on a high rock. Today, only three cellars and a ruined wing of an L-plan tower remain. The surviving structure measures 63.5 feet (19.4 m) in length, 20.75 feet (6.32 m) in width, and 8.75 feet (2.67 m) in height. A small structure at the site is believed to have served as a kitchen.

Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Coordinates
55.8416, -3.1876
District
Midlothian
Postcode
EH25 9QJ
Parliamentary constituency
Midlothian
Nearest railway station
Newtongrange7.8 km

Sources

Other places nearby

Nearby

Auchendinny Viaduct📷 3

Historic bridges · Central Scotland

Auchendinny Viaduct

Auchendinny Viaduct is a historic bridge in the United Kingdom.

Free🐕
Cycleway with icicles, Auchendinny - geograph.org.uk - 3383165📷 5

Memorials & monuments · Central Scotland

Sophia Inglis Memorial, Wester Auchendinny

Sophia Inglis Memorial, Wester Auchendinny — category C listed building-listed memorial in scotland-central, United Kingdom.

Free🐕
Auchendinny📷 5

Towns & cities · Central Scotland

Auchendinny

Auchendinny — village in Midlothian, Scotland, UK.

Free🐕👶
B7026 (Westerhaugh) approaching Auchendinny - geograph.org.uk - 6526402📷 3

Memorials & monuments · Central Scotland

Sophia Inglis Memorial

Sophia Inglis Memorial — a memorial in scotland-central, United Kingdom.

Free🐕
Woods by the Esk - geograph.org.uk - 7922124📷 3

Memorials & monuments · Central Scotland

Royal Scots 1633 to 2006 Memorial

Royal Scots 1633 to 2006 Memorial — a memorial in scotland-central, United Kingdom.

Free🐕
Woods by the Esk - geograph.org.uk - 7922124📷 3

Memorials & monuments · Central Scotland

War Memorial Lodge

War Memorial Lodge — a memorial in scotland-central, United Kingdom.

Free🐕

Where to eat & stay near Oldwoodhouselee Castle

Places to stay

All weather sports area, Rullion Road - geograph.org.uk - 7544374📷 5

Hostels · Central Scotland

Penicuik YMCA-YWCA

Penicuik YMCA-YWCA — a hostel in scotland central.

penicuikymca-ywca.co.uk
General Monck's Battery - geograph.org.uk - 3975516📷 5

Caravan parks · Central Scotland

Slatebarns Caravan Park

Slatebarns Caravan Park — a caravan park in scotland central.

slatebarnscaravanpark.co.uk
Elizabethan postbox on High Street, Penicuik - geograph.org.uk - 5475289📷 7

Hotels · Central Scotland

The Royal Hotel

The Royal Hotel — a hotel in scotland central.

Shopfront refurbishment, Penicuik High Street - geograph.org.uk - 7179233📷 6

Hotels · Central Scotland

Navaar House

Navaar House — a hotel in scotland central.

Garden gates at Penicuik - geograph.org.uk - 3354887📷 5

Campsites · Central Scotland

Carsewell Guide Camp

Carsewell Guide Camp — a campsite in scotland central.

Drummond Aisle interior, Lasswade Old Kirkyard - geograph.org.uk - 4507195📷 5

Caravan parks · Central Scotland

Kevock Vale Park Retirement Living

Kevock Vale Park Retirement Living — a caravan park in scotland central.

Places to eat & drink

Sacred Heart Church Penicuik - geograph.org.uk - 1847015📷 7

Historic pubs · Central Scotland

Craigiebield House Hotel, 50 Bog Road, Penicuik

Craigiebield House Hotel, 50 Bog Road, Penicuik in Scotland Central, United Kingdom.

James Martin Stagg CB OBE FRSE - geograph.org.uk - 6175405📷 5

Historic pubs · Central Scotland

Gothenburg Public House, 45 Buccleuch Street, Dalkeith

Gothenburg Public House, 45 Buccleuch Street, Dalkeith in Scotland Central, United Kingdom.

St Nicholas-Buccleuch Parish Church in Dalkeith - geograph.org.uk - 7924276📷 7

Historic pubs · Central Scotland

Coach and Horses Public House, 168 High Street, Dalkeith

Coach and Horses Public House, 168 High Street, Dalkeith in Scotland Central, United Kingdom.

Canaan Lane - geograph.org.uk - 3957599📷 5

Historic pubs · Central Scotland

The Canny Man's, 237, 239 Morningside Road, Edinburgh

The Canny Man's, 237, 239 Morningside Road, Edinburgh in Scotland Central, United Kingdom.

Inglis Green Road - geograph.org.uk - 3569213📷 5

Historic pubs · Central Scotland

Cross Keys Tavern, 41 Lanark Road, Slateford, Edinburgh

Cross Keys Tavern, 41 Lanark Road, Slateford, Edinburgh in Scotland Central, United Kingdom.

Filling station in Ratcliffe Street - geograph.org.uk - 3129742📷 7

Historic pubs · Central Scotland

Leslie's Bar, 45, 47, 49 Ratcliffe Terrace, Edinburgh

Leslie's Bar, 45, 47, 49 Ratcliffe Terrace, Edinburgh in Scotland Central, United Kingdom.

More castles in this region

Looking in the direction of Duns Common in the Scottish Borders - geograph.org.uk - 6284202📷 3

Castles · Central Scotland

Borthwick Castle

Borthwick Castle in England North East, United Kingdom.

👶
Farm buildings at Lamberton - geograph.org.uk - 635685📷 2

Castles · Central Scotland

Lamberton Castle

Lamberton Castle in England North East, United Kingdom.

👶
Road from Cranshaws Castle to the main road - geograph.org.uk - 6566101📷 4

Castles · Central Scotland

Cranshaws Castle

Cranshaws Castle in England North East, United Kingdom.

👶
Achallader Castle📷 3

Castles · Central Scotland

Achallader Castle

Achallader Castle — castle in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, UK.

👶thecastleguide.co.uk

Frequently asked questions

Where is Oldwoodhouselee Castle?
Oldwoodhouselee Castle is in central Scotland, United Kingdom (postcode EH25 9QJ).
What is Oldwoodhouselee Castle?
Oldwoodhouselee Castle — scheduled monument in Midlothian, Scotland, UK.
How do I get to Oldwoodhouselee Castle?
The nearest railway station is Newtongrange, about 7.8 km away. Drivers can use postcode EH25 9QJ.
Is Oldwoodhouselee Castle a listed building?
Oldwoodhouselee Castle is officially recognised as scheduled monument listed.
Does Oldwoodhouselee Castle charge admission?
Oldwoodhouselee Castle typically charges admission. Check the official site for current ticket prices and opening hours.
How do I get to Oldwoodhouselee Castle?
The nearest railway station is Newtongrange, about 7.8 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode EH25 9QJ.