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Polwarth Castle

Polwarth Castle once stood halfway between Polwarth village and Polwarth church. Nothing of it now remains.

The lands of Polwarth are first mentioned in charters of the early 13th century, and in the 1210s Adam de Paulewrthe witnessed a charter by Patrici de Withichun to Melrose Abbey. Whether or not the family built an early castle here is unclear, but likely.

When Sir Patrick de Polwarth died in the 14th century leaving no male heir, the barony of Polwarth passed to the Sinclair family upon the marriage of his only daughter, Elizabeth, to Sir John Sinclair of Herdmanston.

Their great grandson, another John Sinclair, died without a male heir, and while Herdmanston passed to his brother, Sir William Sinclair, his lands of Polwarth and Kimmerghame were split between his two daughters, Margaret and Marion.

Margaret Sinclair married Patrick Hume in 1451, and Polwarth passed into the Hume family. In 1521 Alexander Hume of Polwarth married Margaret Lauder, daughter of Sir Robert Lauder of the Bass and widow of Kentigern Hepburn of Waughton and Luffness.

The “towre of Pollerd” was burned by an English army led by Edward Seymour, Earl of Hertford, in September 1545, after which the Humes moved permanently to Redbraes Castle, possibly via Mains House first as “the towre of Red Brayes” was also burned in September 1545.

Whether or not the ruins remained in any form for some time afterwards is unclear, but on Robert Gordon’s map “A description of the province of the Merche”, published in the mid-17th century, there is a castle marked as Pollart. This is may represent the remains of Polwarth Castle, or it may represent Redbraes Castle which I have seen referred to in one source as Polwarth House.

All traces of the castle have now been long since cleared away. A slight mound topped with trees apparently marked the site of the castle as late as 1970, but today there are no trees in a gently rising field at the spot in question.

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Alternative names for Polwarth Castle

Paulewrthe; Pollart; Pollerd; Polwart; Polwoart; Poulwrth

Clans associated with Polwarth Castle

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Surnames associated with Polwarth Castle

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Hume

Where is Polwarth Castle?

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

Grid reference: NT 7490 4993

Lat / long: 55.742098, -2.4013491

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OS Map for Polwarth Castle

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


Directions to Polwarth Castle

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Weather at Polwarth Castle

11°C
max 11°C / min 11°C
3km/h S
1027mb
93%
81%
03:24 20:57

Broken clouds
Weather observed at Duns at 05:53
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References (books)

Marchmont and the Humes of Polwarth
Margaret Warrender
Edinburgh, 1894
Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland (Volume 1)
Various
Edinburgh, 1854
The Castles of Scotland
Martin Coventry
Prestongrange, 2015
The History and Antiquities of Roxburghshire and adjacent districts, Volume 3
Alexander Jeffrey
Edinburgh, 1855
The Register of the Great Seal of Scotland A.D. 1593-1608
John Maitland Thomson
Edinburgh, 1890

References (websites)

Canmore

Castles near Polwarth Castle

Mains House (possible) (site of)

0.8km away

Choicelee (site of)

1.4km away

Redbraes Castle

1.4km away

Caldra

2.6km away

Langton Castle (site of)

3.5km away

Bite-About

4.7km away

Tenandry House (site of)

4.7km away

Nisbet House

4.8km away

Greenlaw Castle (site of)

4.9km away
more castles....

Ancient sites near Polwarth Castle

Duns Law fort

6.0km away

Broomhouse Mains souterrain

8.6km away

Cockburn Law fort

10.0km away

Edin's Hall broch and fort

10.6km away

Bruntaburn Mill standing stone

15.0km away

Cambridge standing stone

16.5km away

Earlston standing stone

18.3km away

The Chesters fort

18.4km away

Brothers' Stones standing stone

19.0km away
more ancient sites....
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Pictish stones near Polwarth Castle

Borthwick Mains Class I symbol stone

47.3km away

Abernethy No. 2 Class III symbol stone

54.4km away

Abernethy No. 4 Class III cross shaft

54.4km away

Princes Street Gardens Class I symbol stone

55.2km away

The Coves, Caiplie Class I symbols

57.8km away

Abercrombie 1 Class III cross slab

58.1km away

Abercrombie 2 Class III cross slab

58.1km away

Abercrombie 3 Class III cross slab

58.1km away

Abercrombie 4 Class III cross slab

58.1km away
more Pictish stones....
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Pictish sites near Polwarth Castle

Hoardweel silver chain

10.8km away

Whitlaw silver chain

25.1km away

Traprain Law silver chain

29.9km away

Haddington silver chain

33.2km away

Norrie's Law hoard

66.7km away

Borland silver chain

68.6km away

Todholes (possible) silver chain

70.9km away

Whitecleugh silver chain

97.9km away

Dunnicaer fort

135.3km away
more Pictish sites....
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Accommodation near Polwarth Castle

Pavilion Lodge, Duns Castle
self-catering cottageDuns
5.4km away
Bank House, Duns
self-catering apartmentDuns
5.4km away
Garden Cottage, Wedderburn Castle
self-catering cottageDuns
5.8km away
West Lodge, Wedderburn Castle
self-catering cottageDuns
5.8km away
Groom's Cottage, Wedderburn Castle
self-catering cottageDuns
6.5km away
Keeper's Cottage, Wedderburn Castle
self-catering cottageDuns
6.5km away
The Wheatsheaf Restaurant With Rooms
hotelSwinton
9.0km away
Allanton Inn
hotel, bar, restaurantDuns
12.5km away
Babingtons Cottage
self-catering cottageColdstream
13.0km away
Castle Hotel
hotel, bar, restaurantColdstream
13.7km away

Accommodation search

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bed and breakfasts
campsites
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more accommodation....

Cafés, restaurants & bars near Polwarth Castle

Hirsel Cottage Tea Room
caféColdstream
12.4km away
Allanton Inn
hotel, bar, restaurantDuns
12.5km away
Castle Hotel
hotel, bar, restaurantColdstream
13.7km away
The Courtyard Restaurant, Floors Castle
café, restaurantKelso
15.6km away
The Terrace Café, Floors Castle
caféKelso
16.0km away
George & Abbotsford Hotel
hotel, barMelrose
25.6km away
Smeaton Nursery Gardens & Tearoom
caféEast Linton
32.6km away
Baxters Selkirk
caféSelkirk
34.0km away
Selkirk Deli
caféSelkirk
35.0km away
Best Western Philipburn Country House Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barSelkirk
35.8km away
more food.... / more drink....

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Dunbar harbour and castle
Published on the 12th of November 2011 at 4:50 pm. Updated on the 29th of May 2025 at 7:00 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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