Scottish Castles by Scottish Artist
Oil Painting of Borthwick Castle Scotland

From our Castles in Scotland portfolio

Borthwick Castle has played its part in the history of Scotland.It would be classed technically as a twin towered baronial keep.
It is unusually tall for the period originally standing 110 foot high and the walls are up to 14 foot thick.
It was built in 1430 by Lord Borthwick. Whose tomb can still be seen at the local parish Kirk of St Kentigern, which he probably built.
It is situated about 20 miles to the south of Edinburgh on one of the main routes to England and as such must have experienced a lot of coming and going of armies.

Mary Queen of Scots, fled here, from Edinburgh Castle in 1567 for protection in this impregnable fortress.

Mary and Bothwell also spent their final days of freedom here before being separated for ever. She to die upon the scaffold and he to die in a Danish prison after having left the protection of Borthwick.

In 1650 it was besieged by the Roundheads under the leadership
of Oliver Cromwell, which eventually resulted in the dethronement,
trial and beheading of a Stuart King, Charles 1.
The castle walls still bear the scars caused by the bombardment of Cromwell's cannon.

The Red Room in the castle is said to be haunted. Borthwick Castle has stood defiant, majestic, indestructible for nearly 6 centuries - a living tribute to the great craftsmen who built this impressive structure.

In 1973 this Castle was leased from the Borthwick family and converted into a Hotel.

In this painting I have used a bit artistic license, the bridge and trees are based on a victorian print and I have brought the castle a bit nearer to show a bit more of the detail. The etching and other paintings of the castle by famous artists can be seen on my Clan Borthwick page.