Merchiston Castle

The castle was acquired by the Napierre family in 1438 and remained under its jurisdiction for 5 centuries. It was probably built as a country house, but the unstable political situation forced its owners to strengthen the fortifications.

During the restoration in the 1960s, a cannonball weighing almost 12 kilograms was found in the walls of the castle. It is believed to be from the time of the struggle between Mary, Queen of Scots, and supporters of her son, James VI.

From 1659 to 1818, the castle changed several owners until it returned to the Napierre family. In 1833, a school was founded here, and after almost a century the castle was used as the central building of the new technical college.

The most remarkable feature of this castle is its main entrance, located on the second floor, or in other words, at a level of 4.2 meters above the ground. During the use of the castle as a school, a two-storey building in the Gothic style was added to it.