Cakemuir Castle

About

Cakemuir Castle is an historic house situated 4 miles (6.4 km) southeast of Pathhead, in the Lammermuir Hills, Midlothian, Scotland. The name may be connected with the provision of shelter and hospitality to pilgrims on their way to Melrose Abbey. The castle remains a private house, and is protected as a category B listed building.

Cakemuir Castle is a mid-16th-century tower, built on the site of an earlier structure, named Black Castle. It is oblong on plan and four storeys high with a parapet walk and garret above. The parapet contains two covered recesses for guards.

A series of gun-loops on the fourth floor, now built up, is the only provision for defence. The projecting turnpike-stair tower is round and capped with a square watch chamber. This feature is common to Tolquhon Castle and Crossraguel Abbey, and may symbolise Protestant sympathy.

In the 18th century, the tower was extended by the Wauchope family to the south west and at the end of the 19th century, it was converted to a Baronial style house. It was again modernised in 1926 by Rowand Anderson, Paul & Partners, and later restored by Neil & Hurd around 1952. An ogee-roofed pavilion has recently been added to accommodate...