Thirlestane Castle
Parish: Lauder
County: Berwickshire
Grid reference: NT 53385 47902
Lat / long: 55.72228, -2.7436594
Alternative names: Lauder Castle; The Fort
In 1585 the Maitlands began rebuilding Thirlestane Castle, and moved there permanently in 1595. It seems that Old Thirlestane Castle was still in use at this time, as it is still shown as a substantial castle, named Thirslstaine, in Joan Blaeu's Atlas of Scotland, which was published in 1654 but based partly on Timothy Pont's maps from the late 16th to early 17th century, while the Maitlands' new home is named Thirlestane Castle.
Thirlestane Castle is referred to as The Fort on Herman Moll's map of The Shire of Berwick, drawn some time before 1732 and published in 1745, while Old Thirlestane Castle appears as Thirlstain.
On William Roy's Military Survey of the Lowlands, published between 1752 and 1755, Thirlestane Castle is marked as Lauder Castle, while Old Thirlestane Castle is shown as a group of five buildings, perhaps suggesting that it was still in use and noteworthy.
Armstrong's Map of the County of Berwick, published in 1771, shows Old Thirlestane Castle as Thirlstane and marked as in ruins, while the new Thirlestane Castle is also now called Thirlstane, indicating perhaps that Old Thirlestane Castle didn't completely fall out of use until some time in the mid-18th century.
