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Tartraven Old Castle

Within Castle Field, between the farms of North Mains and South Mains, is an area known as Castle Strip, which may represent the remains of the predecessor of Tartraven Castle.

Consisting of a five-sided homestead measuring approximately 100.0m east to west by around 65.0m north to south, it is surrounded by a moat around 11.0m wide and 0.8m deep. Whether or not this is the site of an early castle is unclear.

What is known is that the lands of Tartraven were owned by the Melville family as far back as the 12th century, when a Sir Richard de Melville granted some of his land to the chapel of Retrevyn (later Tartraven).

In 1264 a Gregory de Malville gave the monks of Newbattle the right of passage through the lands of Retrevyn, a charter confirmed by Gregory’s grandson, John Melville, in 1329.

By the 17th century the new Tartraven Castle had been built, and was by then owned by the Ross family. If this was the case, then the old castle of Tartraven presumably fell out of use around this time.

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Alternative names for Tartraven Old Castle

Retrevyn; Tortrium

Where is Tartraven Old Castle?

Tartraven Old Castle is in the parish of Linlithgow and the county of West Lothian.

Grid reference: NT 0107 7289

Lat / long: 55.938891, -3.585261

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OS Map for Tartraven Old Castle

OS map 349
Falkirk, Cumbernauld & Livingston (Linlithgow, Bathgate & Kilsyth)
OS Explorer map 349


Directions to Tartraven Old Castle

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Weather at Tartraven Old Castle

19°C
max 19°C / min 18°C
26km/h SSW
1016mb
68%
40%
03:28 21:00

Scattered clouds
Weather observed at Linlithgow at 17:31

References (websites)

Canmore

Castles near Tartraven Old Castle

Tartraven Castle (site of)

0.7km away

Kipps House

2.5km away

Ochiltree Castle

2.9km away

Lochcote Castle

3.5km away

West Port House

4.4km away

Kingscavil House

4.4km away

Houstoun House

4.5km away

Linlithgow Palace

4.5km away

Deans (site of)

4.6km away
more castles....
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Ancient sites near Tartraven Old Castle

Gormyre standing stone

2.7km away

Castlethorn standing stones

3.6km away

Castlethorn fort

3.6km away

Gala Braes standing stones

3.8km away

Tantallen Hill (possible) (site of) souterrain

6.5km away

Hopetoun Wood standing stone

8.3km away

Huly Hill barrow and standing stones

11.2km away

Lochend standing stone

11.6km away

Kaimes Hill fort

13.6km away
more ancient sites....
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Pictish stones near Tartraven Old Castle

Hawkhill Class III cross-slab

22.6km away

Princes Street Gardens Class I symbol stone

23.9km away

Abernethy No. 2 Class III symbol stone

24.7km away

Abernethy No. 4 Class III cross shaft

24.7km away

Tullibole Class III cross slab

28.2km away

Blackford Class I symbol stone

37.9km away

East Lomond Hill Class I symbol stone

40.6km away

Court Cave Class I rock carving

41.0km away

Doo Cave Class I rock carving

41.1km away
more Pictish stones....
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Pictish sites near Tartraven Old Castle

Borland silver chain

27.2km away

Todholes (possible) silver chain

27.4km away

Haddington silver chain

50.3km away

Norrie's Law hoard

52.7km away

Whitlaw silver chain

54.6km away

Whitecleugh silver chain

56.6km away

Traprain Law silver chain

57.2km away

Hoardweel silver chain

78.5km away

Dunnicaer fort

142.2km away
more Pictish sites....
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Accommodation near Tartraven Old Castle

West Port
hotelLinlithgow
4.4km away
Macdonald Houstoun House
hotel, restaurant, barUphall
4.4km away
Premier Inn Livingston (M8, Jct3)
hotel, restaurantLivingston
4.6km away
Premier Inn Livingston (Bathgate)
hotel, restaurantLivingston
5.0km away
Kaim Park Hotel
hotelBathgate
5.4km away
Cairn Hotel, Bathgate
hotelBathgate
6.2km away
Mercure Livingston
hotelLivingston
7.7km away
Best Western Hilcroft Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barWhitburn
9.6km away
Macdonald Inchyra Hotel & Spa
hotel, restaurant, barPolmont
10.1km away
Metro Inns Falkirk
hotelPolmont
10.2km away

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Cafés, restaurants & bars near Tartraven Old Castle

Macdonald Houstoun House
hotel, restaurant, barUphall
4.4km away
Premier Inn Livingston (M8, Jct3)
hotel, restaurantLivingston
4.6km away
Premier Inn Livingston (Bathgate)
hotel, restaurantLivingston
5.0km away
Best Western Hilcroft Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barWhitburn
9.6km away
Macdonald Inchyra Hotel & Spa
hotel, restaurant, barPolmont
10.1km away
Premier Inn Falkirk East
hotel, restaurantFalkirk
10.7km away
Premier Inn Edinburgh (South Queensferry)
hotel, restaurantEdinburgh
12.3km away
Norton House Hotel & Spa
hotel, restaurant, barEdinburgh
12.5km away
Premier Inn Edinburgh Airport (Newbridge)
hotel, restaurantEdinburgh
12.9km away
Hostival – Carnival Camp
hostel, campsite, barEdinburgh
13.5km away
more food.... / more drink....

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Inveraray Castle and standing stone
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Dunbar harbour and castle
Published on the 29th of October 2011 at 10:06 pm. Updated on the 21st of February 2022 at 9:49 am.

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Andy Sweet above Fast Castle

Stravaiging around Scotland is written, photographed and researched by Andy Sweet.
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