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Biel House

Biel House is a 19th century mansion which incorporates a tower house with vaulted basement.

The first castle may have been built here in the 13th century and was a property of the Earls of Dunbar. During the reign of Robert III, in the late 14th or early 15th century, the fourth son of George de Dunbar, 10th Earl of Dunbar and March, was
Patrick de Dunbar of Biel. Patrick may have been the same Patrick Home, described as a son of the Earl of Home, who appears in a fable regarding the Anstruthers of Anstruther.

Sir William Anstruther is said to have lived at Dreel Castle in Anstruther with his daughter, Margaret, his son being at the court of Robert. Margaret is said to have fallen in love with the 22 year old Patrick Home, whose ancestor had supposedly killed Sir William’s grandfather on the Firth of Forth. The story goes that Sir William was in dispute with a neighbouring laird who seems to have had intentions regarding Margaret of which Sir William did not approve leading him to insult the laird. This prompted the laird to devise a plot to kill his neighbour.

The laird invited Sir William and Margaret to his house but a wandering beggar got wind of the plan and informed Sir William who then invited the laird to Dreel instead. When he arrived Sir William hit him over the head with an axe and killed him. Sir William vowed to repay the beggar’s kindness in warning him of the danger and did so by offering his daughter’s hand in marriage, at which point the beggar is supposed to have cast off his disguise to reveal himself to be Patrick Home.

The property was significantly remodelled and extended to the west in the 1760s, the east wing of the new house incorporating part of the old Biel Castle, and to the east by William Atkinson between 1814 and 1818. Almost all of Atkinson’s additions were removed in 1952 and the property has now been converted into flats.

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Alternative names for Biel House

Beil House; Beill

Clans associated with Biel House

Home

Lauder

Surnames associated with Biel House

Home

Hume

Lauder

Where is Biel House?

Biel House is in the parish of Stenton and the county of East Lothian.

Grid reference:NT 63364 75894

Lat / long:55.974631,-2.588598

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Bing Maps | Google Maps | Historic maps (NLS) | OpenStreetMap | Ordnance Survey | PastMap | Streetmap | Wikimapia

OS Map for Biel House

OS map 351
Dunbar & North Berwick (Musselburgh & Haddington)
OS Explorer map 351


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Directions to Biel House

Enter a starting point

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Weather at Biel House

11°C
max 12°C / min 10°C
33km/h WSW
1026mb
82%
97%
08:02 16:46

Overcast clouds
Weather observed at East Linton at 16:01

References (books)

History of The Family of Anstruther
Arthur Wellesley Anstruther
Edinburgh, 1923
The Castles of Scotland
Martin Coventry
Prestongrange, 2015
The Grange of St. Giles
Jane Stewart Smith
Edinburgh, 1898

References (websites)

Canmore
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Castles near Biel House

Belton Castle (site of)

1.4km away

Whittingehame Castle

4.1km away

Tyninghame House

4.2km away

Spott House

4.6km away

Smeaton (site of)

4.9km away

Papple (possible)

5.5km away

Dunbar Castle

5.6km away

Markle Castle

5.6km away

Hailes Castle

5.9km away
more castles....

Ancient sites near Biel House

Kirklandhill standing stone

2.3km away

The Chesters fort

3.3km away

Preston Mains cursus

4.0km away

Drylawhill cursus

4.8km away

Pencraig Hill standing stone

5.2km away

Traprain Law fort

5.4km away

Garvald souterrain

6.7km away

Broxmouth (site of) fort

6.9km away

St Baldred's Cave cave

9.1km away
more ancient sites....
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Pictish stones near Biel House

Abercrombie 1 Class III cross slab

29.7km away

Abercrombie 2 Class III cross slab

29.7km away

Abercrombie 3 Class III cross slab

29.7km away

Abercrombie 4 Class III cross slab

29.7km away

The Coves, Caiplie Class I symbols

30.1km away

Crail Class III cross-slab

32.1km away

Largo Class II cross slab

34.7km away

Sliding Cave Class I rock carving

35.8km away

Jonathan's Cave Class I rock carving

35.8km away
more Pictish stones....
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Pictish sites near Biel House

Traprain Law silver chain

5.1km away

Haddington silver chain

12.1km away

Hoardweel silver chain

22.2km away

Whitlaw silver chain

31.1km away

Norrie's Law hoard

38.6km away

Borland silver chain

64.2km away

Todholes (possible) silver chain

66.4km away

Whitecleugh silver chain

98.8km away

Dunnicaer fort

111.5km away
more Pictish sites....
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Accommodation near Biel House

Sawmill Cottage
self-catering cottageTyninghame
3.8km away
Rowan Cottage Guest House
hotelDunbar
4.9km away
Bell's Bothy Bunkhouse
hostelHaddington
8.3km away
Fenton Tower
hotelNorth Berwick
10.9km away
Maitlandfield House Hotel
hotelHaddington
11.8km away
No12 Quality Street
bed and breakfastNorth Berwick
12.3km away
Colstoun House Hotel
hotelHaddington
12.8km away
Nether Abbey
hotelNorth Berwick
13.1km away
Macdonald Marine Hotel & Spa
hotel, restaurant, barNorth Berwick
13.3km away
Letham House
hotelLennoxlove
14.2km away

Accommodation search

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bed and breakfasts
campsites
castles
holiday parks
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self-catering lodges
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more accommodation....

Cafés, restaurants & bars near Biel House

Smeaton Nursery Gardens & Tearoom
caféEast Linton
4.8km away
Macdonald Marine Hotel & Spa
hotel, restaurant, barNorth Berwick
13.3km away
Ducks at Kilspindie House
hotel, restaurant, barAberlady
17.4km away
Gosford Bothy Farm Shop
caféAberlady
17.8km away
Carberry Tower
hotel, bar, restaurantMusselburgh
27.7km away
Station Buffet Bar
barElie
28.0km away
Symphony Craw's Nest Hotel and Restaurant
hotel, restaurant, barAnstruther
28.3km away
Premier Inn Edinburgh A1 (Musselburgh)
hotel, restaurantEdinburgh
28.3km away
The Birdcage
restaurant, barMusselburgh
29.6km away
Kilconquhar Castle Estate
hotel, restaurant, self-catering cottagesElie
30.2km away
more food.... / more drink....

Related pages

Dirleton Castle in East Lothian
Dirleton Castle in East Lothian
Garden of Cosmic Speculation plus castles
Garden of Cosmic Speculation plus castles
Inveraray Castle and standing stone
Inveraray Castle and standing stone
A doocot, a castle and a beach in East Lothian
A doocot, a castle and a beach in East Lothian
A pair of castles on the River Tweed
A pair of castles on the River Tweed
Dunbar harbour and castle
Dunbar harbour and castle
Published on the 14th of May 2010 at 1:54 pm. Updated on the 28th of February 2021 at 9:00 am.

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Andy Sweet above Fast Castle

Stravaiging around Scotland is written, photographed and researched by Andy Sweet.
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