Castles of Scotland - Saltcoats

Saltcoats Castle, located about 0.5 miles (0.8 km) south of the village of Gullane in East Lothian, Scotland, is a 16th-century courtyard castle. The castle is a legally protected historic monument and is listed as a scheduled monument.

Saltcoats Castle comprises buildings arranged around a square courtyard enclosed by a defensive wall. Within the courtyard are the ruins of several buildings, including the castle chapel, fragments of whose walls survive to this day.

Saltcoats Castle was built in the late 16th century by the Livingstone family as a defensive residence and was expanded and modernized several times over the centuries. In the 18th century it passed to the Hamiltons of Pencaitland.

Throughout its history Saltcoats Castle was the site of many important events, including social gatherings and family celebrations. According to some accounts, concerts and balls were held here in the 18th century.

In the 19th century Saltcoats Castle passed into private ownership and gradually fell into ruin. Around 1820 it was partly demolished for building stone, and today it is a ruin protected as a scheduled monument.