Halyards Palace

Halyards Palace is a castle ruin in Fife showing the remains of what was once a three-story structure with corner towers. The surviving walls reveal how the central section originally connected these towers in a compact defensive layout.

Sir James Kirkcaldy acquired the site in 1539 when the Bishop of Dunkeld granted it to him, shifting it from church hands to private control. Later it became caught up in the military struggles of the Reformation period.

The ruins witnessed clashes between foreign forces and Scottish nobility during the Reformation era. These conflicts marked the site as a place where religious and political upheaval left its mark on the local landscape.

The ruins stand on private farmland northwest of Auchtertool village, so you will need permission before visiting. Wear appropriate clothing for exposed, open terrain and be prepared for Scottish weather conditions.

The site was renamed Camilla during the Earl of Moray's ownership, yet there is no record of why this unusual name was chosen. This mysterious change in the property's name hints at details about the past that remain unexplained.

Location: Fife

GPS coordinates: 56.10861,-3.26917

Latest update: December 9, 2025 12:27