Blackness Castle

Blackness Castle was built as a residence for the powerful Crichton family, but this auspicious start soon gave way to a chequered history.

Seized by James II, it remained in Crown ownership, initially as a garrison fortress and state prison.

It has undergone many alterations, but it could not withstand the onslaught of Cromwell’s artillery in 1651.

Redeveloped in 17^th century, it remained an important military base until the 1870s when it became a munitions depot.

It fell from military use in 1912 and, despite a heavy-handed restoration in the 1920s, retains much of its rugged charm.

The Castle was used in the internationally loved Outlander series.  One of the most brutal scenes takes place here; when evil Jack Black flogs main character Jamie. 

Find out more about our group offers here

Address

Blackness Castle
Blackness
By Linlithgow
EH497NH

Tickets offers

• Adults £6.00
• Children £3.60
• Concessions £4.80

30 Apr:
10am to 4pm

2 May to 31 Mar:
Daily except Fri and Sat, 10am to 4pm

Closed Christmas Day and Boxing Day

4m NE of Linlithgow on the Firth of Forth, off the A904

From Linlithgow train station walk 5 mins to Linlithgow Cross on the High Street, First Bus number 49 to Blackness. Walk 6 minutes to castle.

Getting Around:
If you're planning on visiting Linlithgow Palace, Torphichen Preceptory and Blackness Castle, then buy your PLUSBUS ticket at only £2.30 for one day of unlimited travel, it is definitely worth while

Site contact number
01506 834 807
Parking
The car park is about 10m from thevisitor centre. It has a rough gravel surface and no accessible spaces marked.
Approach to site
The main castle building is about 30m along a level gravel roadway and about 10m down a fairly steep, uneven path.
Visitor centre
Enter the shop via three concrete steps with a wooden handrail on both sides.
Monument
The entrance to the site has a gently sloping concrete plinth with a single handrail before stepping down to uneven natural rock at the entrance.
The ground level of the castle is mostly uneven rock or cobbles, and is slippery when wet. The pier is of planked wood coated with an anti-slip surface.
The south (stern) tower is reached over a rough cut rock stair and a stone spiral staircase of 51 steps. The east courtyard parapet (wall walk) is reached along the west spur, up a series of stone staircases or through the great hall, via a spiral staircase with no handrail.

The roof of the north (fore) tower is reached up 40 stone steps to the spur battery then along the battlements and up a further two sets (1 wood, 1 stone) of 7 steps.
The first floor is reached up a further 16 timber steps with a handrail on the left hand side. The mid tower is reached through a spring mounted wooden door.
The upper levels are reached via wide and even stone spiral stairs with no handrails. There are four picnic tables and two benches on the lawn in front of the castle.

Surroundings
There is a large grassed area around the castle.

Toilets
The nearest adapted toilets are at
Tesco, Link Road, Bo Ness EH51 9AN;
3.4 miles.

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