page_title: Tantallon Castle
section_title: Later 16th century
hierarchical_section_title: Tantallon Castle / History / Later 16th century
caption_attribution_description: George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle
context_page_description: Tantallon Castle is a ruined mid-14th-century fortress, located 5 kilometres east of North Berwick, in East Lothian, Scotland. It sits atop a promontory opposite the Bass Rock, looking out onto the Firth of Forth. The last medieval curtain wall castle to be constructed in Scotland, Tantallon comprises a single wall blocking off the headland, with the other three sides naturally protected by sea cliffs.
  Tantallon was built in the mid 14th century by William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas. It was passed to his illegitimate son, George Douglas, later created Earl of Angus, and despite several sieges, it remained the property of his descendants for much of its history. It was besieged by King James IV in 1491, and again by his successor James V in 1528, when extensive damage was done. Tantallon saw action in the First Bishops' War in 1639, and again during Oliver Cromwell's invasion of Scotland in 1651, when it was once more severely damaged. It was sold by the Marquis of Douglas in 1699 to Hew Dalrymple, Lord North Berwick and the ruin is today in the care of Historic Environment Scotland.
context_section_description: Angus died at Tantallon in January 1557, and the castle was seized by the Queen Regent, Mary of Guise. It was given over to the Laird of Craigmillar, and repairs were carried out the following year. In 1558, George Drummond of Blair was keeper of Tantallon, with a garrison of seven horsemen and 22 soldiers. James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton took control in 1565, on behalf of his nephew, the young 8th Earl of Angus, but the following year, Mary, Queen of Scots, gave the Captaincy to Robert Lauder of the Bass, and his son, Robert Lauder, younger of the Bass The appointment of the Lauders followed the surrender of Sir William Douglas of Lochleven, who was one of those charged with the murder of Queen Mary's favourite, David Rizzio, in March 1566. Mary visited Tantallon herself in November 1566.
  Andrew Hume was Captain of Tantallon Castle in 1577. The 8th Earl of Angus was sent into exile in England in 1581, and left some of best furnishings from Tantallon with Lord Hunsdon at Berwick-upon-Tweed, including a bed of green velvet and damask, a bed of crimson velvet "fair embroidered with images and beasts of gold", and a bed of cloth of silver and cloth of gold. He had a brewhouse in the castle repaired in September 1583. In April 1584 the keepers of Fast Castle, Innerwick, and Tantallon were commanded to surrender their castles to the crown.
  Following the death of the 8th Earl in 1588, the Earls of Angus usually lived elsewhere, and had little to do with Tantallon Castle. In February 1592 an inventory was made of the furnishings and armaments. In July James VI took possession of the castle and Alexander Home of North Berwick was installed as captain. In September 1596 the captain of Tantallon, Stephen Bruntfield, was killed by James Carmichael, a son of Sir John Carmichael, Captain of the Royal Guard. Bruntsfield's brother Adam subsequently killed Carmichael in single combat. William Douglas, 10th Earl of Angus took up residence in the castle on 5 November 1608.
caption: General Monck, who successfully besieged Tantallon in 1651
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