Craiglockhart Castle, Medieval tower house in Edinburgh, Scotland
Craiglockhart Castle is a ruined medieval tower house on the grounds of Edinburgh Napier University in Edinburgh, Scotland. What remains today are thick stone walls forming a small rectangular footprint, with no roof and little of the interior left standing.
The tower was built in the 15th century by the Lockhart family, who gave it their name. Over the following centuries it passed through different hands and gradually fell into disuse, until it became the ruin that stands today.
The ruin sits in the middle of Edinburgh Napier University's campus, where students pass by it on their way to lectures. Seeing a medieval tower next to modern university buildings gives the place an unusual character that is hard to find elsewhere.
The site is within an active university campus, so it is worth contacting Edinburgh Napier University before visiting to check access. The structure is visible from the surrounding paths, but getting closer may require permission depending on the time of year.
Craiglockhart Castle holds the status of a scheduled monument, meaning it is legally protected as a national monument of Scotland even though it sits on private university grounds. This protection limits what can be built or changed on the site, which is why the ruins have remained largely untouched.
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