Seton Castle
Seton Castle is located in East Lothian in Longniddry, Scotland. Built in the late 18thcentury, the castle sits upon the site of what was once Seton Palace, which was demolished in 1789. The palace had belonged to the Earls of Winston and was a favorite retreat for Mary, Queen of Scots. The castle has numerous shaped towers and a central archway to reflect the old palace’s courtyard style. The last Earl of Winston lost his titles and the Seton estate to the Crown when he participated in the Jacobite Rebellion of 1715. The estate was put up for auction and sold to an agent of the York Building Company, unfortunately, the company went bankrupt and the estate went on the real estate market in 1779. By 1780, the castle was said to be in ruins and it was demolished nine years later by Alexander Mackenzie. In 1789, Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Mackenzie of the 21stDragoons commissioned a new modern-day mansion to be built upon the site. The Earl of Wemyss acquired the castle after Mackenzie’s death in 1796. The earl’s family owned the castle for over two centuries. In 2003, the estate was sold to property developer, Mary McMillan, who restored the castle and put it on the real estate market. It was purchased for $6.7 million in 2007 by entrepreneur Stephen Leach, who proceeded to complete further renovations before placing the castle back on the real estate market in 2019 for $9.7 million. The castle sits on 13.5 acres of private gardens and parkland and includes two cottages, working stables, and a private tavern. The interior of the castle boasts seven opulent bedrooms. The castle has ceiling plasterwork, curved oak paneled doors, bay windows, secret staircases, curved walls, a gym, a silk-lined dining room, a billiard room, a cinema, a helipad, a 10,000 bottle wine cellar, and hidden doors. One of the secret passageways leads to a turreted spiral staircase that ascends to an en-suite bedroom.
