View source for Lauriston Castle

{{Short description|16th-century tower house in Edinburgh, Scotland}}
{{for|the castle in Aberdeenshire|Lauriston Castle, Aberdeenshire}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2016}}
{{Infobox military installation
|name=Lauriston Castle
|location=[[Edinburgh]], Scotland<br />{{gbmappingsmall|NT2021676093}}
|coordinates = {{coord|55.9711986|-3.2784641|type:landmark|display=inline}}
|image=LauristonCastleSouth.jpg
|image_size=250px
|caption= Lauriston Castle from the south
|pushpin_map = Edinburgh
|pushpin_map_caption = Location within the [[City of Edinburgh council area]]
|type=[[L-plan]] [[tower house]] with a Jacobean range
|built=c. 1590
|builder=probably Archibald Napier, 7th Laird of Merchiston
|materials=Stone
|used=16th century to 21st century
|condition=
|ownership=[[City of Edinburgh Council]]
|open_to_public=Yes
|controlledby=
}}

'''Lauriston Castle''' is a 16th-century [[tower house]] with 19th-century extensions overlooking the [[Firth of Forth]], in [[Edinburgh]], Scotland. It lies on Cramond Road South, between [[Cramond]], [[Davidson's Mains]], and [[Silverknowes]]. The substantial grounds, Lauriston Castle Gardens, operate as a local park. The castle was bequeathed to the [[Edinburgh Corporation]] (post 1975 known as Edinburgh City Council) and hosts the [[Lord Provost of Edinburgh|Lord Provost]]'s annual Garden Party.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/in-pictures-first-lord-provost-garden-party-1-3071170|title=News &#124; Edinburgh News}}</ref> The house is a Category A [[listed building]]<ref>{{Historic Environment Scotland|num=LB28019 |desc=Lauriston Castle Cramond Road South |cat=A |access-date=12 April 2019}}</ref> and the grounds are included in the [[Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland]].<ref>{{Historic Environment Scotland|num=GDL00255|desc=Lauriston Castle|access-date=12 April 2019|fewer-links=yes}}</ref>

==History==

A Lauriston Castle which stood on the site in medieval times was almost totally destroyed in the [[Burning of Edinburgh|raids on Edinburgh in 1544]] by the [[Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset|Earl of Hertford]]'s troops.<ref>''Buildings of Scotland: Edinburgh'' by Gifford McWilliam and Walker</ref>{{page needed|date=January 2025}}

A tower house was rebuilt around 1590 by Sir [[Archibald Napier (landowner)|Archibald Napier]] of [[Merchiston]], father of the mathematician [[John Napier]], for his first son by his second marriage, also named Archibald (1575–1600), known as Napier of [[Woolmet]]. After Laurieston died in 1629 his widow and three young children lived there.{{citation needed|date=February 2023}}

In 1683 the estate was purchased by Edinburgh goldsmith and financier William Law, father of economist [[John Law (economist)|John Law]], shortly before his death. John Law then inherited the estate and it stayed in his family until 1823 when sold to banker and mineralogist [[Thomas Allan (mineralogist)|Thomas Allan]]. In 1827 Allan commissioned [[William Burn]] (1789–1870) to extend the house. Subsequent owners were the Right Hon. [[Andrew Rutherfurd, Lord Rutherfurd|Andrew Lord Rutherfurd]] (1791–1854), and [[Thomas Macknight Crawfurd of Cartsburn and Lauriston Castle, 8th Baron of Cartsburn]] from 1871 to 1902.{{citation needed|date=February 2023}}

On 3 December 1827 Sir Walter Scott wrote in his journal: {{blockquote|Went with Tom Allan to see his building at Lauriston where he has displayed good taste—supporting instead of tearing down or destroying the old Chateau which once belonged to the famous Mississippi Law. The additions are in very good taste and will make a most comfortable house."<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/14860/pg14860-images.html#DECEMBER_1827 | title=The Journal of Sir Walter Scott from the Original Manuscript at Abbotsford }}</ref>}}

William Robert Reid, proprietor of [[Morison & Co.]], an Edinburgh cabinetmaking business, acquired Lauriston Castle in 1902, and left their home to Scotland on the condition that it should be preserved unchanged. The [[City of Edinburgh Council]] has administered the house since her death in 1926, when it was bequeathed to the nation of Scotland.

In 2013 it was suggested that the castle could be renovated and turned into an official residence for the Lord Provost of Edinburgh. The proposal did not go ahead due to costs and other reasons.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/lord-provost-wanted-lauriston-castle-for-parties-1-3242945|title = News &#124; Edinburgh News}}</ref>

[[File:Scotia_Depicta_-_Laureston_Castle_-Plate-.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Engraving of the castle by [[James Fittler]], 1804]]

==Design==
{{Unreferenced section|date=January 2025}}
[[File:Lauriston Castle 1775.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Lauriston Castle as it appeared in 1775, before the 1827 addition by William Burn.]]
Lauriston Castle was originally a four-storey, stone [[L-plan castle|L plan]] tower house, with a circular stair tower, with two-storey angle turrets complete with gun loops. A Jacobean range was added in 1827, to convert it to a country manor. This was designed by the prominent architect [[William Burn]].

The majority of the interior is Edwardian.

==Gardens==
[[File:Japanese Garden at Lauriston Castle, Edinburgh.JPG|thumb|Japanese Garden at Lauriston Castle, Edinburgh]]
The extensive gardens at Lauriston are open to the public at no charge and include a number of different styles and forms. A [[Japanese garden]] of one hectare built by [[Takashi Sawano]] as the Edinburgh–[[Kyoto]] Friendship Garden, opened in August 2002.<ref>"Public Japanese Gardens: UK and Ireland Survey". ''Journal of Japanese Gardening'' No. 35, September/October 2003. [http://www.rothteien.com/topics/uk-survey.htm] accessed 16 October 2006.</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons}}
*[http://www.information-britain.co.uk/showPlace.cfm?Place_ID=740 Description of Lauriston with photo]
*[http://www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk/Venues/Lauriston-Castle Lauriston Castle official website]
*[http://www.edinburghcroquetclub.com Edinburgh Croquet Club]
*[http://www.edinburghspotlight.com/2010/05/review-edinburgh-kyoto-friendship-garden-2/ Friendship Garden]
*[http://www.stravaiging.com/history/castle/lauriston-castle-edinburgh "Stravaiging Around Scotland: 'Lauriston Castle'"]
*[http://digital.nls.uk/74582390 Engraving of Lauriston Castle] by [[James Fittler]] in the digitised copy of [http://digital.nls.uk/scotia-depicta/ Scotia Depicta, or the antiquities, castles, public buildings, noblemen and gentlemen's seats, cities, towns and picturesque scenery of Scotland], 1804 at [[National Library of Scotland]]

{{coord|55.97118|-3.27988|type:landmark_region:GB_source:enwiki-osgb36(NT2021676093)|display=title}}
{{Residential buildings in Edinburgh}}
{{Defence infrastructure in Edinburgh}}
{{Parks and gardens in Edinburgh}}

[[Category:Castles in Edinburgh]]
[[Category:Houses in Edinburgh]]
[[Category:Clan Napier]]
[[Category:Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes]]
[[Category:Category A listed buildings in Edinburgh]]
[[Category:Listed castles in Scotland]]
[[Category:Japanese gardens]]
[[Category:Gardens in Edinburgh]]
[[Category:Parks and commons in Edinburgh]]
[[Category:Historic house museums in Edinburgh]]
[[Category:Reportedly haunted locations in Edinburgh]]
[[Category:Tower houses in Scotland]]