Kinneil Castle

Scotland is a land steeped in history, and its castles and palaces are a testament to the country’s rich cultural heritage. One such castle is Kinneil, located in the west of Bo’ness in east-central Scotland. This beautiful mansion was once the principal seat of the Hamilton family and has a rich and fascinating history that dates back to the 16th century.

The lands of Kinneil were given to Walter Fitz Gilbert, an ancestor of the Hamilton family, by Robert the Bruce in 1323. A charter of 1474 mentions the castle of “Kynneil called Craig Lyown,” which was likely near the sea at Snab Brae. There was a deer park at Kinneil from an early date, and James IV sent a man to bring deer nets from Kinneil to Falkland Palace in 1503. James IV also visited Kinneil in 1508 to see Lord Hamilton’s horses.

Parts of an older castle, which replaced the castle at the Snab, may be incorporated in the present building. James Hamilton, 1st Earl of Arran, died at Kinneil in 1529 but wished to be buried at Hamilton. The presence of the former parish church close to the west of the palace across a narrow ravine suggests the early use of the site.

The east wing of the surviving building was built by James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran, who was the Governor or Regent of Scotland on the death of James V. Coal was shipped from Kinneil to Leith for Edinburgh Castle, and timber for repairing Arran’s chamber came from Leith in 1545. Some payments for building at Kinneil were recorded in the royal treasurer’s accounts. The garden was improved for the spring of 1553, by planting hedges, marjoram, and lettuce. Trees were brought from Fife and Strathearn.

The 16th-century painted interior decoration and a stone armorial carry Arran’s ducal coronet, and the collar of the Order of Saint Michael, French honors he received in 1548. One of the painted rooms has decoration that evokes verdure tapestry with vignettes of Samson and Delilah, Abraham and Isaac, and David and Bathsheba and The Temptation of St. Anthony; this vaulted room is now called the Arbour Room. The other room has scenes from the Parable of the Good Samaritan, Lucretia, Saint Jerome, and Mary Magdalene.

The house was saved from demolition in 1936 when 16th-century mural paintings were discovered, and it is now in the care of Historic Environment Scotland. It sits within a public park, which also incorporates a section of the Roman Antonine Wall and the only example of an Antonine fortlet with visible remains. The house is protected as a Category A listed building.