Hirendean Castle Travel Guide

Hirendean Castle lies on the lower slopes of Blackhope Scar in the Moorfoot Hills, a quiet, windswept stretch of Midlothian countryside. What remains is a modest, roofless tower house, now reduced to a low, ivy-strewn wall of ancient stone, barely rising above the heather and grass. The castle was built in the mid-16th century for Mark Kerr, later the first Earl of Lothian, on lands formerly belonging to Newbattle Abbey. It served as a residence for his eldest son, Robert Kerr, the second Earl of Lothian, and stood as a modest noble seat in a landscape shaped by agriculture and the nearby abbey’s influence.

The castle’s most enduring story is a dark one. In 1624, Robert Kerr, Earl of Lothian, is said to have returned to Hirendean and taken his own life in a violent and desperate act, stabbing himself repeatedly before cutting his own throat. The reasons remain uncertain: some accounts suggest crushing debt, while others hint at darker, more mysterious influences, including rumours of dealings with magicians and witches. This grim episode has become inseparable from the site, lending it an air of melancholy and intrigue that still lingers in local lore.

The lands of Hirendean were once part of the estate of Newbattle Abbey, a Cistercian monastery whose monks managed the area as a grange. After the Reformation in the late 16th century, monastic lands were redistributed, and in 1587 the estate was granted to Mark Kerr, son of the abbey’s commendator. He built the tower house as a residence for his heir, marking the transition from ecclesiastical to secular lordship. The castle’s modest scale reflects its role as a secondary residence rather than a major stronghold, yet its location on the edge of the Moorfoots gave it a commanding view over the surrounding valleys.

Today, Hirendean is a quiet, overgrown ruin, accessible via a short walk from the nearby village of Heriot or along local footpaths. There are no formal visitor facilities, just the open hillside and the crumbling walls. The atmosphere is one of solitude and reflection, perfect for those who enjoy off-the-beaten-path historical sites. The surrounding area is rich in natural beauty, with the source of the River South Esk nearby and views stretching across the Pentland and Moorfoot Hills. It’s a place best visited on a clear day, when the moorland light enhances the sense of age and isolation.

The castle is part of a wider network of walking routes through the Moorfoot Hills, an area of rolling moorland and farmland that offers gentle hikes and scenic countryside views. Paths lead past old farmsteads, across bubbling streams, and up to higher vantage points with panoramic outlooks. The area is popular with local walkers and those seeking a peaceful escape from nearby towns. The combination of history, landscape, and quiet solitude makes Hirendean a rewarding stop on a longer walk through Midlothian’s rural heart.