Neidpath Castle

The origins of Neidpath Castle date back to the 13th century, when the land was held by the Clan Fraser. Through marriage, ownership passed to the Hay family. Sir William Hay, credited with building the original structure, created a fortress. In 1650, under the rule of the 2nd Earl of Tweeddale, the tower's approximately four-meter-thick walls withstood attacks by Cromwell's troops longer than any other castle in the Borders. Around 1800, the then lord of the castle, the 3rd Duke of Queensberry, gained notoriety under the nicknames “Old Q” or “Degenerate Douglas” for having vast tracts of forest on the surrounding hills cleared.