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Greenlaw Castle

Greenlaw Castle, the site of which is marked by a solitary tree in a field to the east of the village of Greenlaw, is said to date back to the 13th century.

The settlement of Greenlaw may date back as far as the 10th century, and in the second half of the 11th century the barony of Greenlaw came into the possession of Cospatric III, the 2nd Earl of Lothian.

The lands of Greenlaw passed from Cospatric III to his second son Patrick, and on to Patrick’s son William de Greenlaw, who is said to have built Greenlaw Castle early in the 13th century.

William married his cousin, Ada, daughter of Patrick, the 4th Earl of Dunbar. This was Ada’s third marriage, having previously been married to William de Courtenay and Theobald de Lascelles. Upon her fist marriage to Courtenay, Ada’s father gave her the barony and castle of Hume. From Ada and William are descended the great Border family of Home.

In 1451 or 1452 the lands of Greenlaw were made into a free barony by James II, and granted to Thomas de Cranston of Cranston, from whom they passed to the Redpath family around 1470. In 1598 the barony of Greenlaw returned to the Home family when WIlliam Redpath entered into a bond with Sir George Home of Spott, transferring the barony to him.

Following Sir George’s death in 1611 the barony of Greenlaw passed via his daughter, Anne, wife of Sir James Home of Coldingknowes, to his grand-nephew, Sir Alexander Home of Manderston. When he had financial difficulties after the Restoration, Greenlaw Castle and barony were confiscated from him by his creditors.

In Joan Blaeu’s Atlas of Scotland, published in 1654 but based in part on Timothy Pont’s maps of the late 16th to early 17th century, Greenlaw Castle is shown as a substantial building surrounded by trees.

Some time between 1688 and 1696, Sir Patrick Hume of Polwarth bought back the possessions of the Homes of Spott.

Greenlaw Castle continued to be occupied by the Hume family until 1729, after which it was used as accommodation for farm labourers. Around 1820 it was largely demolished, although a small section of wall survived into the 1850s before finally being removed and ploughed over. Today all that remains is a slight mound in the field and a large ash tree.

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Alternative names for Greenlaw Castle

Grinla Castle; Grinnla Castle; The Lord's House; The Tenandry

Where is Greenlaw Castle?

Greenlaw Castle is in the parish of Greenlaw and the county of Berwickshire.

Grid reference: NT 7210 4593

Lat / long: 55.706005, -2.4455352

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OS Map for Greenlaw Castle

OS map 339
Kelso, Coldstream & Lower Tweed Valley
OS Explorer map 339


Directions to Greenlaw Castle

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Weather at Greenlaw Castle

15°C
max 15°C / min 15°C
5km/h ESE
1016mb
84%
24%
04:03 20:08

Few clouds
Weather observed at Greenlaw at 09:29

References (books)

Marchmont and the Humes of Polwarth
Margaret Warrender
Edinburgh, 1894
The Castles of Scotland
Martin Coventry
Prestongrange, 2015

References (websites)

Canmore

Castles near Greenlaw Castle

Tenandry House (site of)

0.4km away

Redbraes Castle

3.6km away

Old Purves Hall

4.1km away

Mains House (possible) (site of)

4.7km away

Hume Castle

4.8km away

Polwarth Castle (site of)

4.9km away

Mersington Tower (site of)

5.6km away

Choicelee (site of)

6.0km away

Bite-About

6.3km away
more castles....
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Ancient sites near Greenlaw Castle

Duns Law fort

10.8km away

Bruntaburn Mill standing stone

12.9km away

Broomhouse Mains souterrain

13.4km away

Cambridge standing stone

13.8km away

Earlston standing stone

13.8km away

Brothers' Stones standing stone

14.2km away

Cockburn Law fort

14.5km away

Edin's Hall broch and fort

15.3km away

Littledean fort

17.1km away
more ancient sites....
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Pictish stones near Greenlaw Castle

Borthwick Mains Class I symbol stone

42.5km away

Abernethy No. 2 Class III symbol stone

53.8km away

Abernethy No. 4 Class III cross shaft

53.8km away

Princes Street Gardens Class I symbol stone

54.6km away

Abercrombie 1 Class III cross slab

60.8km away

Abercrombie 2 Class III cross slab

60.8km away

Abercrombie 3 Class III cross slab

60.8km away

Abercrombie 4 Class III cross slab

60.8km away

The Coves, Caiplie Class I symbols

61.1km away
more Pictish stones....

Pictish sites near Greenlaw Castle

Hoardweel silver chain

15.5km away

Whitlaw silver chain

22.3km away

Traprain Law silver chain

32.0km away

Haddington silver chain

34.4km away

Borland silver chain

65.8km away

Todholes (possible) silver chain

68.0km away

Norrie's Law hoard

68.9km away

Whitecleugh silver chain

94.1km away

Dunnicaer fort

139.5km away
more Pictish sites....
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Accommodation near Greenlaw Castle

Bank House, Duns
self-catering apartmentDuns
10.3km away
Pavilion Lodge, Duns Castle
self-catering cottageDuns
10.3km away
Garden Cottage, Wedderburn Castle
self-catering cottageDuns
10.4km away
West Lodge, Wedderburn Castle
self-catering cottageDuns
10.4km away
Huntlywood Granary
bed and breakfastEarlston
10.7km away
Groom's Cottage, Wedderburn Castle
self-catering cottageDuns
11.0km away
Keeper's Cottage, Wedderburn Castle
self-catering cottageDuns
11.0km away
The Wheatsheaf Restaurant With Rooms
hotelSwinton
11.5km away
Castle Hotel
hotel, bar, restaurantColdstream
13.5km away
Apartment 76
self-catering apartmentColdstream
13.6km away

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campsites
castles
holiday parks
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more accommodation....

Cafés, restaurants & bars near Greenlaw Castle

The Courtyard Restaurant, Floors Castle
café, restaurantKelso
11.2km away
The Terrace Café, Floors Castle
caféKelso
11.5km away
Hirsel Cottage Tea Room
caféColdstream
12.0km away
Castle Hotel
hotel, bar, restaurantColdstream
13.5km away
Allanton Inn
hotel, bar, restaurantDuns
16.7km away
George & Abbotsford Hotel
hotel, barMelrose
21.0km away
Baxters Selkirk
caféSelkirk
29.5km away
Selkirk Deli
caféSelkirk
30.4km away
Best Western Philipburn Country House Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barSelkirk
31.2km away
Smeaton Nursery Gardens & Tearoom
caféEast Linton
35.0km away
more food.... / more drink....

Related pages

Dirleton Castle in East Lothian
Dirleton Castle in East Lothian
Garden of Cosmic Speculation plus castles
Garden of Cosmic Speculation plus castles
Inveraray Castle and standing stone
Inveraray Castle and standing stone
A doocot, a castle and a beach in East Lothian
A doocot, a castle and a beach in East Lothian
A pair of castles on the River Tweed
A pair of castles on the River Tweed
Dunbar harbour and castle
Dunbar harbour and castle
Published on the 12th of November 2011 at 4:50 pm. Updated on the 25th of April 2015 at 5:52 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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