Kellie Castle

National Trust tower house north of Pittenweem, with fine plaster ceilings and an Arts and Crafts walled garden.

Kellie Castle stands below Kellie Law, about four kilometres north of Pittenweem and a short drive from Anstruther. The tower house grew between the 14th and 17th centuries. In the 19th century the interior and the walled garden were redone in the Arts and Crafts style by the Lorimer family. The sculptor Hew Lorimer later lived here, and an exhibition in the stables covers his work. The National Trust for Scotland has owned it since 1970.

The plaster ceilings and the Arts and Crafts rooms are the highlights inside. The walled garden is at its best in summer. The castle is open daily from March to October, with weekend opening only in late autumn, so check before a winter visit.

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A story
In 1613 Kellie was bought by Sir Thomas Erskine, who had saved James VI's life during the Gowrie Conspiracy by killing Alexander Ruthven. When the king returned to Scotland in 1617, his only visit after he moved to London, he stayed at Kellie. The ornate plaster ceiling in the east tower was probably made for that visit.

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