
Redhouse Castle sits between the railway and the B1377, about two miles east of Longniddry in East Lothian. We pass it every time we are heading into Edinburgh but this time decided to stop by. Our neighbours were on their way out as we entered. The castle was built on the lands of Reid Spittal in the 16th century although a previous version which is thought to have been a religious building, perhaps a hospice for pilgrims and travellers had been built on the site. It has been owned by Andrew Laing, Lord of Session before 1600 who bought it in 1607. His heiress married Sir John Hamilton, brother of the First Earl of Haddington who extended the keep. After the Jacobite Rebellion it remained empty until 1755 when Lord Elibank purchased it. He continued to live in Edinburgh but the market garden was created and remained a going concern. In the mid 19th century it was eventually incorporated into the estate of the Earl of Wemyss who lived in Gosford House. The castle had become ruined by 1913/14 when artist Robert Noble painted it surrounded by fruit trees. The painting is now in John Muir House, Haddington.

It reopened as a nursery in 2013 inside the garden walls created for the former market garden.

Car parking is adjacent to it and the entrance from the B road is currently being enlarged. There is a farm house nearby whose cat was patrolling the greenhouse when we were paying for our purchases and there is a line of 19th century cottages near the way in for walkers and cyclists. There are polytunnels where they grow many of their plants, greenhouses and a good selection of plants outside

and trees.

In the greenhouse are houseplants, bulbs, tools and other gardening essentials. Outside are larger ceramic pots.

There is a tearoom which also has an outside seating area.

They supply Fairtrade coffee and serve breakfast, coffees, brunch and lunch. Certainly, we will drop in more frequently now when we are passing. We may provide some company for the lonely skeleton sitting nearby.
