Wemyss Castle, East Wemyss, United Kingdom

Wemyss Castle is situated on the sea cliffs between the villages of East Wemyss and West Wemyss. Accounts date the construction of the castle to 1421 when Sir John Wemyss decided to build a fortified castle to replace one destroyed by the Duke of Rothesay at Kilconquhar in 1402. The castle is thus the ancient seat of the Earls of Wemyss and their families. Historically, the castle is perhaps best known as the location where Mary, Queen of Scots, met her future husband Lord Darnley, in 1565.

On 11 May 1590 a party of Danish commissioners led by Peder Munk and the Scottish lawyer John Skene stayed at Wemyss Castle. Their task was to view and take sasine of Falkland Palace and Dunfermline Palace and Linlithgow Palace, the properties given to Anne of Denmark by James VI of Scotland as a 'morning gift'.

In April 1591 King James had Lilias (or Sophia) Ruthven, a daughter of William Ruthven, 1st Earl of Gowrie, shut away in Wemyss Castle to prevent her marrying Ludovic Stewart, 2nd Duke of Lennox. Lennox managed to get his bride out of the castle and marry her at Dunkeld, and after 10 days the king allowed the couple to come to court.

In 1592 Sir John Wemyss of Wemyss provided a refuge at the castle for the queen's Danish lady-in-waiting Margaret Winstar whose partner John Wemyss of Logie had plotted with Francis Stewart, 5th Earl of Bothwell against the king.

In the 1890s the nearby Coaltown of Wemyss was established as an estate village on land belonging to Wemyss Castle, in order to house mineworkers employed in several coal mines in the area.

Wemyss is an imposing castle sitting high atop cliffs with a view over the Firth of Forth. Two particular points of interest are that one of the towers from an earlier building has been re-used, first as a windmill and later as a dovecote. There is also an oval-shaped dungeon within the castle, connected to the building by a 30m zigzag passage. Wemyss castle was restored in the 1950s and remains a residence. Members of today's Royal Family, including the Queen, have visited.

References:

Wikipedia

User Reviews

James Nunn (8 months ago)
Pretty red sandstone castle or what's left of it, worth a look if you're going to the caves below

Alexandra Cuthbert (15 months ago)
MacDuff Castle is easy to access from the central road along the coast. There is some parking available next to the cemetery where you pull off. The walk from the castle ruins goes down to the beach and several sea caves that you can explore. The sea caves were the location of several Pictish settlements and have some very interesting history. Some information can be found on signs along the hike. It was a lovely hike and made for great photos.

Roddy Hoffmann (3 years ago)
Castle is a ruin and I assume debris prevents visitors getting too close. Jonathan's Cave was better for accessing. Coast is beautiful but rocky and slippy and difficult under foot. A steep approach - nice for a quick visit but suitable footwear needed.

Angelina Henshaw (3 years ago)
The ruins were cool. Signs explicitly say do not enter the site but it’s clear from other reviews that people walk right in. Would I go back? Probably. You can bring dogs.

Terry Hogarth (3 years ago)
Great History!

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