Neidpath Castle

Perched on a rocky escarpment high above the River Tweed, Neidpath Castle has welcomed many a literary figure down the centuries

A rare example of a fortified L-plan tower house, Neidpath Castle has origins that date back to the 12th century, although the current castle is thought to have been built in the late 14th century. 

Little has changed in the 700 years since the first families stayed here. The thick stone walls, deep well, hidden staircases, wall-hung tapestries and panoramic views from its battlements would all have been very familiar to former residents. 

Like all good castles it is said to be haunted – more on that in a moment – while it has also hosted plenty of celebrated visitors. Mary Queen of Scots stayed here in 1563 and wrote about Neidpath in her letters. Centuries later, following a visit to Peebles with his sister, Dorothy, in 1803, William Wordsworth composed a passionate sonnet about the medieval tower house overlooking ‘the gentle Tweed’.

Dorothy captured her own observations on Neidpath – and the day’s journey along the river from Peebles to Clovenfords – in her travel memoir, Recollections of a Tour Made in Scotland.

Sir Walter Scott also stayed here and is said to have enjoyed swimming in the deep pools of the river below. He wrote a ghostly poem about a past inhabitant of the castle. By the late 17th century, Neidpath was in the possession of a Sir William Douglas, who had three daughters. The youngest daughter, Jean, was in love with the son of the Laird of Tushielaw but the young man was not considered to be a suitable match for Jean. 

Sir William refused the marriage and sent the young man away, assuming that his daughter would forget all about him. But the devastated Jean spent months watching from the castle ramparts praying for his return. During this time, her health deteriorated to the extent that one day when he did return, poor Jean was so emaciated that the young man did not recognise her and rode on past. 

She died of a broken heart – with her ghost said to haunt the castle to this day. Written two centuries later, Scott’s The Maid of Neidpath immortalises Jean with some poignant lines: 

Disease had been in Mary’s bower

And slow decay from mourning,

Though now she sits on Neidpath’s tower

To watch her Love’s returning.

All sunk and dim her eyes so bright,

Her form decay’d by pining,

Till through her wasted hand, at night,

You saw the taper shining.


Contemporary writing

The nearby Neidpath Tunnel is the scene of a grisly find in His Path to Darkness, part of a series of crime fiction novels by Scottish author Ed James set in the Scottish Borders. Once part of the Peebles to Symington Junction railway line, the 600m-long disused tunnel has a curve in the middle which brings literal meaning to not being able to see light at the end of the tunnel. Walking through it is a fascinating if slightly eerie experience!


Further info

Owned by the Wemyss family for the past two centuries, Neidpath Castle is now a popular location for weddings, events and as a filming location. It is open for guided tours on set days throughout the year and by private appointment. The family also manages the nearby Barns estate – the historic setting for John Buchan’s coming-of-age novel, John Burnet of Barns.


Image credits: Tweed Forum; Ian Linton