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Fellows’ Publications: Neidpath Castle and its Lairds

7th January 2021 | Categories:

Neidpath Castle and its Lairds is the story of “probably the earliest and certainly the grandest” of the Scottish Border Tower Houses. It tells the stories of the fortress and its owners for the first time, bringing together published and unpublished records. It examines the myths and legends, while holding a magnifying glass to Scotland’s past from the castle door.

It spot-checks literary connections (Wordsworth, Buchan, RL Stevenson, Scott) and charts the histories of the four inter-related families to own the castle in its nine hundred-year history. neidpath-cover1

Its lairds are all descended from the 12th century castle founder Sir Simon Fraser, a forgotten patriot who commanded the Scottish army that defeated the English three times in a single day and was the last noble to stand by William Wallace. The book draws on published and unpublished sources to offer a definitive account of a remarkable man of his times.

Fraser’s descendants are a mixed bunch: a casualty of Flodden; a renegade who terrorised the countryside; a young man who rode to marry his bride, who was given away by the Merry Monarch, Charles II; a Chancellor of Scotland who promoted the disastrous Darien venture that led to union with England; a dissolute old lecher who scandalised 18th century London society to be lampooned in satirical cartoons and pilloried in verse by Wordsworth and Burns; and Scotland’s greatest 20th century conservationist, the 12th Early o Wemyss, chairman of the National Trust in Scotland for 50 years, who patched up the castle with elbow grease and lime cement.

The current owner is his daughter Lady Elizabeth Benson of the Wemyss and March estate, who contributes a foreword. Lady Elizabeth’s brother, the present Earl of Wemyss, is also known as Jamie Neidpath.

The castle opens periodically and for guided tours on request. It also hosts weddings and special events and offers an exclusive castle bed-and-breakfast package and two self-catering holiday lets in the castle barmkin.

Published in a limited and numbered 1st edition of 300 by Kirklands Press, 16 Kirkland Street, Peebles, EH45 8EU, price £20, p&p £3.50. Tel: 01721 721775

Or available online at Waterstones here.

ISBN 978-0-9956703-1-0

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