What is recorded here

Hailes Castle rose beside the River Tyne in the early 1300s as a modest de Gourlay stronghold before the Hepburns transformed it into a vast noble residence. James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell, was probably born there around 1535 and later stopped with Mary, Queen of Scots, during her disputed journey in April 1567. The castle witnessed the rise and fatal collapse of that dangerous alliance, leaving ancient stone marks and layered human ambition behind its secluded riverside walls.

Scotland's National Record of the Historic Environment records Hailes Castle as Castle (medieval), Graffiti (19th Century) - (20th Century), Graffiti (21st Century). The official map says its point is accurate as follows: NGR given to the nearest 1m. The record does not by itself mean that the public may enter the place.

Hailes Castle was built in the late 13th or early 14th century by the de Hailes family, a prominent Scottish noble lineage. It is remembered as a key stronghold in the Scottish Borders, reflecting the turbulent history of the region during the Wars of Scottish Independence.

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