Douglas Castle was a multi-period castle which belonged to the Douglas family from the 13th century until the present day, however all that remains is a ruined round tower from the 17th century.

The barony of Douglas was granted to William de Douglas around 1190 and while it’s likely that a timber castle was built at this time the first mention of a castle at Douglas comes in the 13th century.

Sir William Douglas was created 1st Earl of Douglas in 1357 and in the late 14th century Sir Archibald Douglas, 3rd Earl of Douglas, rebuilt the castle to reflect the family’s heightened status. This branch of the Douglas family, known as the Black Douglases, were seen as a threat to the King and in 1455 James II sacked the castle. The Black Douglas estates and titles were forfeited and granted to the Red Douglas branch of the family in George Douglas, 4th Earl of Angus.

In July 1458 Dame Marioun of Dowglas, prioress of Haddington, was involved in a dispute with David Hay, Lord of Lochorwort and Yester, regarding the boundaries of the lands of West Hervystoun and the lands of Nwn Hervystoun and also of Oxtoun.

Further remodelling is thought to have taken place in the 17th century and around 1703, when Archibald Douglas, 3rd Marquess of Douglas, was created Duke of Douglas, the castle was remodelled again, taking the form of a central tower house surrounded by a courtyard wall with corner towers. A fire in 1755 destroyed the majority of the castle, leaving only a corner tower from the courtyard wall.

The Adam brothers were commissioned to build a replacement mansion nearby, and while work started in 1757 the death of the Duke of Douglas in 1761 meant that the original plans were never fully executed. The ruined corner tower from the old castle was retained as a folly within the grounds of the new mansion.

In the 1930s mining works were carried out in the vicinity of the mansion leading to subsidence below it, and it was demolished in 1938 leaving only the corner tower from the old castle standing.