Description
The castle is built on a natural rocky outcrop, on a low ridge overlooking the farmland of East Lothian. It comprises a kite-shaped courtyard, 40 metres (130 ft) by 27 metres (89 ft), flanked by buildings on the south and east sides. The most substantial remains are the Ruthven Lodging, the gatehouse, and the de Vaux keep to the south, while only the basement of the east range survives. Fragments of the north and west curtain walls outline the courtyard, which was formerly divided in two by further 16th century buildings. The castle was originally approached from the south, via a bridge and 3.4-metre (11 ft) drawbridge, across a 15-metre (49 ft) wide ditch. In the 16th century, steps were built to access the Ruthven lodging from the west.
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