The barony of Glencorse was granted to the Abernethy family by James III in 1464, who presumably built a castle here.

In 1610 the lands and title passed to the Bothwell family, who owned them until 1809, when they passed to the Inglis family. The Bothwells did certainly build a castle, possibly incorporating older work of the Abernethys, which stood where Glencorse House now is.

The Inglis family had a new house built on the site of the old castle, presumably after it was demolished, although perhaps some older parts were incorporated into the new house. In 1904 it was remodelled by Sir Robert Rowand Anderson, and following the death in 1973 of Sir Maxwell McKenzie-Inglis, Lord Lieutenant of Midlothian, the estate was sold and is now run as a wedding venue.

Carved stone family crests can apparently be seen at Old Glencorse Kirk, and one Bothwell crest from the castle is built into the wall above the door of the 19th century South Lodge.