Linlithgow Palace, Royal palace in Linlithgow, Scotland
Linlithgow Palace is a ruined royal residence in the town of Linlithgow in West Lothian, located roughly midway between Edinburgh and Stirling. Four wings surround a central courtyard that holds a Renaissance fountain dating from the early 16th century.
James I began converting a fortress into a royal residence in 1424 after a fire destroyed earlier buildings. Work continued through several generations until a fire in 1746 left the palace uninhabitable.
The name Linlithgow comes from Brittonic words for "loch in the damp hollow", after the water beside the palace. Queens favoured the palace for raising children: James V was born here in April 1512, and Princess Elizabeth, later known as the "Winter Queen", grew up here. Margaret Tudor and Anne of Denmark used it as a widow's residence.
The site opens throughout the year and most areas can be explored without a guide. A train from Edinburgh Waverley Station brings visitors to Linlithgow in roughly 20 minutes, from where the palace grounds lie within walking distance.
The name Linlithgow comes from Brittonic words meaning "loch in the damp hollow", after the Loch Linlithgow beside which the palace stands. The surrounding park still carries the name of the Peel, the timber-palisaded English fort built here in 1301/2.
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