House & Family History: The Hay family built the present castle circa 1370 and occupied it for almost 310 years. During that period Mary, Queen of Scots, and later her son, King James VI, visited Neidpath. The troops of Oliver Cromwell laid siege to Neidpath in 1650; after the Parliamentarian siege the castle was converted to a tower house. In 1686 the Douglas family purchased the House. The last Douglas of Neidpath, the 3rd Earl of March and 4th Duke of Queensberry, was made famous by William Wordsworth in a sonnet for having the trees around Neidpath cut down in 1795. On the death of "Old Q" in 1810 the House and Estate passed to earls of Wemyss and March, the current owners.

House Listed: Category A

Park Listed: Not Listed

Current Seat / Home of: James Donald Charteris, 13th Earl of Wemyss and 9th Earl of March.

Past Seat / Home of: Simon Fraser, 13th century. Hay family, circa 1370 until circa 1680. William Douglas, 4th Duke of Queensberry, until 1810; Douglas family here from 1686 until 1810.

Current Ownership Type: Individual / Family Trust

Primary Current Ownership Use: Private Home

Ownership Details: Owned by Wemyss and March Estates.

House Open to Public: Yes

Phone: 01721-720-333

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://www.neidpathcastle.com

Historic Houses Member: Yes