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Cakemuir Castle

Cakemuir Castle is a mid-16th century tower house with later additions.

The castle was built for Adam Wauchope, fifth son of Gilbert Wauchope of Niddrie and an advocate. Some sources state that the castle was built in 1564 however it may be older than this. It is thought to have been built as a replacement for the earlier Black Castle nearby. An Eadwulf of Cakemuir is on record in the 13th century witnessing a grant by Duncan of Swanston to Soutra Hospital.

The tower is rectangular in plan and aligned approximately north-east to south-west. It measures around 9.2m long by around 7.5m across with thick walls that originally included several gunloops. Originally it is thought to have risen to a height of three storeys plus garret however it now consists of four storeys due to later remodelling.

Projecting from the south end of the north-west wall of the tower is a circular stair tower. The original entrance was at the base of the tower giving access to a ground floor level which unusually is not vaulted. Whether this is an original feature or a consequence of later remodelling is not clear. At second floor level the stair tower narrows before widening again further up where a square caphouse at parapet level is corbelled out, below which is a gunloop.

The wide spiral staircase climbs to the Great Hall on the first floor, with bedrooms above in its original layout. The caphouse gives access to the parapet walk. Either side of the west gable’s chimney is a roofed watch-house containing a seat, affording views over the moors to the south and east.

On the 11th of June 1567 Mary Queen of Scots arrived at Cakemuir Castle and spent the night, having fled Borthwick Castle disguised as a page. The Great Hall is now known as Queen Mary’s Room to commemorate her visit.

In 1761 Henry Wauchope was responsible for adding a large wing projecting from the south-west side of the original tower.

Installed above a new entrance porch on the north-west of this wing is a heraldic panel bearing the Wauchope arms, a chevron between two mullets in chief and a garb in base, which was removed from above the original entrance in the stair tower.

The last Wauchope laird of Cakemuir, Andrew Wauchope, died in 1794. His wife died around a year later and Cakemuir fell to the Crown. Captain Andrew Wauchope “the old laird of Niddrie obtained a grant of the property, which was afterwards sold.”

Further additions were made in the 19th century by George Wright from Edinburgh who used the castle as a summer residence. It may be at this time that the Georgian wing was given the Scots baronial treatment.

At some point the castle fell into ruin however by 1915 it had been restored and re-occupied with new timber floors laid, the parapet repaired and a new roof installed at a shallower pitch than the original. In 1926 the castle underwent further restoration at the hands of Rowand Anderson Paul and Partners while the interior of the castle was modernised by the architect Arthur Forman Balfour Paul. Further work was carried out between c.1949 and 1952 by the architects Neil and Hurd.

The castle is still occupied as a private home.

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Alternative names for Cakemuir Castle

Black Castle; Blackcastle; Caickmuir; Caikmuir; Caikmure; Cakemure; Cakmore; Kack moore; Kackmoore; Kaikmure; Kakemuir; Kakemyre; Kakmore; Kekmure

Clans associated with Cakemuir Castle

Wauchope

Surnames associated with Cakemuir Castle

Wauchope

Where is Cakemuir Castle?

Cakemuir Castle is in the parish of Crichton and the county of Midlothian.

Grid reference: NT 41185 59114

Lat / long: 55.82157981, -2.940177664

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

OS Map for Cakemuir Castle

OS map 345
Lammermuir Hills (Dalkeith, Bonnyrigg & Gifford)
OS Explorer map 345


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Directions to Cakemuir Castle

Enter a starting point

Weather at Cakemuir Castle

21°C
max 21°C / min 13°C
11km/h E
1017mb
77%
31%
03:44 20:49

Scattered clouds
Weather observed at Gorebridge at 08:34

References (books)

History and Genealogy of the Wauchopes of Niddrie-Merschell
James Paterson
Edinburgh, 1858
The Castellated and Domestic Architecture of Scotland Volume 2
David MacGibbon
Edinburgh, 1887
The Castles and Keeps of Scotland
Frank Roy Fraprie
Boston, 1907
The Castles of Scotland
Martin Coventry
Prestongrange, 2015
The Castles of the Lothians
J Munro Bell
Edinburgh, 1893
The castles, palaces, and prisons of Mary of Scotland
Charles Mackie
London, 1850
The Fortified House in Scotland - Volume I
Nigel Tranter
Edinburgh, 1962
The Placenames of Midlothian
Norman Dixon
Edinburgh, 1947

References (websites)

Listed Building record
Canmore
Wikipedia

Castles near Cakemuir Castle

Black Castle (site of)

0.2km away

Fala Luggie Tower

1.2km away

Crichton Castle

3.8km away

Soutrahill (site of)

4.2km away

Gilston Peel

4.2km away

Borthwick Castle

4.2km away

Soutra (site of)

4.9km away

Vogrie House (site of)

5.2km away

Johnstounburn

5.5km away
more castles....
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Ancient sites near Cakemuir Castle

Longfaugh fort

2.8km away

Crichton Mains souterrain

3.0km away

Middleton Hall (site of) souterrain

4.5km away

Wright's Houses standing stone

5.0km away

Costerton souterrain

5.0km away

Costerton (site of) fort

5.3km away

Tollishill standing stone

10.7km away

Westfield cursus

13.4km away

The Chesters fort

13.8km away
more ancient sites....
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Pictish stones near Cakemuir Castle

Abernethy No. 2 Class III symbol stone

20.9km away

Abernethy No. 4 Class III cross shaft

20.9km away

Princes Street Gardens Class I symbol stone

21.7km away

Court Cave Class I rock carving

38.4km away

Doo Cave Class I rock carving

38.5km away

Jonathan's Cave Class I rock carving

38.7km away

Sliding Cave Class I rock carving

38.7km away

Scoonie Class II cross slab

42.6km away

Largo Class II cross slab

44.3km away
more Pictish stones....
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Pictish sites near Cakemuir Castle

Whitlaw silver chain

14.2km away

Haddington silver chain

17.7km away

Traprain Law silver chain

23.3km away

Borland silver chain

37.2km away

Hoardweel silver chain

37.6km away

Todholes (possible) silver chain

39.5km away

Norrie's Law hoard

48.2km away

Whitecleugh silver chain

71.3km away

Dunnicaer fort

134.1km away
more Pictish sites....
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Accommodation near Cakemuir Castle

Borthwick Castle Hotel
hotelGorebridge
4.2km away
Midlothian Apartments
self-catering apartmentGorebridge
7.1km away
Kirkhill Mansion B&B
bed and breakfastArniston
8.8km away
Dalhousie Castle Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barBonnyrigg
9.9km away
Wester Cowden Farmhouse
bed and breakfastDalkeith
10.1km away
Winton Cottage
self-catering cottagePencaitland
11.0km away
Wintonhill Farmhouse
self-catering cottagePencaitland
11.4km away
The County Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barDalkeith
11.4km away
Carberry Tower
hotel, bar, restaurantMusselburgh
11.6km away
Premier Inn Edinburgh A7 (Dalkeith)
hotel, restaurantDalkeith
12.2km away

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Cafés, restaurants & bars near Cakemuir Castle

Dean Tavern
barNewtongrange
9.6km away
Dalhousie Castle Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barBonnyrigg
9.9km away
The County Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barDalkeith
11.4km away
Carberry Tower
hotel, bar, restaurantMusselburgh
11.6km away
Premier Inn Edinburgh A7 (Dalkeith)
hotel, restaurantDalkeith
12.2km away
Premier Inn Edinburgh A1 (Musselburgh)
hotel, restaurantEdinburgh
13.0km away
Laird & Dog Inn
hotel, pubLasswade
13.0km away
The Birdcage
restaurant, barMusselburgh
15.0km away
Premier Inn Edinburgh A1 (Newcraighall)
hotel, restaurantEdinburgh
15.9km away
Best Western Kings Manor Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barEdinburgh
16.8km away
more food.... / more drink....

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Dunbar harbour and castle
Published on the 14th of May 2010 at 1:57 pm. Updated on the 29th of May 2025 at 4:46 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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