Luffness Castle

Luffness Castle stands near the village of Aberlady in East Lothian, Scotland. It occupies a site once held by the Gospatrick Earls of Lothian before passing to the Lindsay family in the 12th century. The Lindsays built a strong fortress here in the 13th century, later described as a large and formidable stronghold. Parts of the estate were given to the Church in memory of Sir David Lindsay, a regent for Alexander III who died on crusade. A Carmelite priory was founded nearby in 1293, and traces of its ruins can still be found hidden in the surrounding woods.

The castle has seen many sieges and changes of control. Edward I of England occupied it in 1311, and it was sacked in 1547 by an English force led by Lord Clinton. French and Scottish soldiers built a fort here in 1549 to block English supply lines to Haddington. Regent Arran called on local villagers to help defend the work, and labourers were drafted from across East and West Lothian. The fort was demolished in 1552 on orders from Mary of Guise, though the existing mansion was spared.

Today the house remains a well-maintained tower of three storeys with an attic, shaped like a T and topped by a square turret. The turnpike stair inside is thought to contain remains from the original 13th-century castle. The building sits within the outline of an old square fortification, marked by a partly filled ditch that may date from the French fort of 1549 or even earlier. The house is still lived in by the Hope family, who have owned it since the 18th century.