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Burleigh Castle

Burleigh Castle is an oddly-shaped building, but picturesque with it.

The main square tower to the north was built some time after 1446, when the lands of Burleigh were granted to James Balfour of Balgarvie by James II. It measures 9.8 by 8.2 metres, with walls 1.5 metres thick. The basement floor at ground level is vaulted.

Above that is what would have been the Great Hall, now missing its roof and open to the elements. Above the hall were two further storeys,and on the roof there was a walkway with corner turrets on top of the corbels, and a cap-house.

The south-west tower – which gives Burleigh Castle such a distinctive appearance – was built in 1582 by Sir James Balfour of Mountquhanie and Pittendreich (Lord Pittendreich), who had become the owner of Burleigh Castle following his marriage to Margaret Balfour of Burleigh. Their initials, SIB & MB, are visible on the wall joining the two towers. The tower is unusual in that it is rounded from the base up to the top of the first floor, but the second floor is square in plan and sits on protruding corbels.

The remains that can be seen today originally formed the western part of a courtyard surrounded by a barmkin wall. A ditch to the west may be evidence of a moat, or at the very least a defensive ditch.

The section of wall joining the two towers is all that remains of a two storey gatehouse. The rest of the courtyard wall and ancillary buildings are thought to have been removed and the stone used to build nearby Burleigh House in the late 18th century.

Robert Balfour, the 5th Lord Balfour of Burleigh, was attainted due to his support of the Jacobites in 1715, and as such his estates were seized by the Crown. He died in exile in France in 1757, and Burleigh Castle passed via a General Irwin to the Grahams of Kinross.

Burleigh Castle is now in the care of Historic Scotland, and although it’s an unmanned property, keys are available locally from April to September which give access to the square tower.

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Alternative names for Burleigh Castle

Burley; Burlie

Where is Burleigh Castle?

Burleigh Castle is in the parish of Orwell and the county of Kinross-shire.

Grid reference: NO 12890 04597

Lat / long: 56.225875, -3.406376

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

OS Map for Burleigh Castle

OS map 369
Perth & Kinross (Ochil Hills East & Loch Leven)
OS Explorer map 369


Directions to Burleigh Castle

Enter a starting point

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Weather at Burleigh Castle

19°C
max 19°C / min 18°C
24km/h ESE
1014mb
69%
99%
03:25 21:01

Overcast clouds
Weather observed at Milnathort at 11:42
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References (websites)

Listed Building record
Canmore
Historic Environment Scotland
Wikipedia

Castles near Burleigh Castle

Lochleven Castle

2.9km away

Pitlochie (site of)

6.0km away

Arngask (possible) (site of)

6.2km away

Balcanquhal (site of)

6.2km away

Dowhill Castle

7.4km away

Balvaird Castle

8.0km away

Fordel Castle

8.0km away

Cleish Castle

8.1km away

Cleish motte (possible)

8.2km away
more castles....
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Ancient sites near Burleigh Castle

Burleigh cursus

0.4km away

Orwell standing stones

2.1km away

Nether Tillyrie souterrains

2.5km away

Classlochie souterrain

4.9km away

Hatchbank souterrain

5.4km away

Abbots Deuglie stone circle

6.7km away

Inchgall (possible) crannog

9.9km away

Reedieleys cursus

11.6km away

Abernethy Den stone circle

13.0km away
more ancient sites....
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Pictish stones near Burleigh Castle

Tullibole Class III cross slab

8.3km away

Strathmiglo Class I symbol stone

9.7km away

Westfield 1 Class I symbol stone

11.2km away

Westfield 2 Class I symbol stone

11.2km away

East Lomond Hill Class I symbol stone

11.6km away

Abernethy No. 5 Class III cross shaft

12.5km away

Abernethy No. 3 Class III cross-slab

12.5km away

Abernethy No. 1 Class I symbol stone

13.3km away

Abernethy No. 8 Class III cross shaft

13.4km away
more Pictish stones....
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Pictish sites near Burleigh Castle

Norrie's Law hoard

28.1km away

Haddington silver chain

49.3km away

Traprain Law silver chain

54.1km away

Borland silver chain

58.8km away

Todholes (possible) silver chain

59.6km away

Whitlaw silver chain

67.5km away

Hoardweel silver chain

79.2km away

Whitecleugh silver chain

90.3km away

Dunnicaer fort

110.2km away
more Pictish sites....
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Accommodation near Burleigh Castle

Thistle Hotel, Milnathort
hotelMilnathort
0.7km away
The Muirs Inn
hotelMilnathort
2.0km away
Windlestrae Hotel and Leisure Club
hotel, restaurant, barMilnathort
2.1km away
The Green Hotel Golf & Leisure Resort
hotel, restaurant, barMilnathort
2.2km away
The Kirklands Hotel
hotelKinross
2.4km away
Glenfarg Hotel
hotelArngask
5.8km away
Tullibole Castle Longhouse
self-catering cottageCrook of Devon
8.6km away
The Famous Bein Inn
hotel, restaurant, barAberargie
9.0km away
The Covenanter Hotel
hotel, restaurant, bar, caféFalkland
12.6km away
Luigino's
hotel, restaurantFalkland
12.6km away

Accommodation search

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bed and breakfasts
campsites
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self-catering lodges
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more accommodation....

Cafés, restaurants & bars near Burleigh Castle

Windlestrae Hotel and Leisure Club
hotel, restaurant, barMilnathort
2.1km away
The Green Hotel Golf & Leisure Resort
hotel, restaurant, barMilnathort
2.2km away
The Famous Bein Inn
hotel, restaurant, barAberargie
9.0km away
The Covenanter Hotel
hotel, restaurant, bar, caféFalkland
12.6km away
Luigino's
hotel, restaurantFalkland
12.6km away
Best Western Balgeddie House Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barGlenrothes
13.1km away
An Lochan Tormaukin
hotel, bar, restaurantGleneagles
13.6km away
The Hideaway Restaurant
restaurantDunfermline
15.5km away
Auld Mill House Hotel Bar and Restaurant
hotel, bar, restaurantDunfermline
16.3km away
Premier Inn Dunfermline
hotel, restaurantDunfermline
16.5km away
more food.... / more drink....

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Inveraray Castle and standing stone
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A pair of castles on the River Tweed
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Dunbar harbour and castle
Published on the 14th of May 2010 at 1:54 pm. Updated on the 9th of July 2021 at 6:16 pm.

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Andy Sweet above Fast Castle

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