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Neidpath Castle is an L-plan rubble-built tower house, overlooking the River Tweed near Peebles in the Borders of Scotland. An early castle was probably built here by Simon Fraser of Oliver Castle between 1263 and 1266. Sir William de Haya probably built the present castle in the late 14th century. It was held by them until the 17th century.
During Oliver Cromwell's invasion of Scotland in 1650, Neidpath was attacked. During the 1660s, the 2nd Earl of Tweeddale remodelled the castle, and constructed outbuildings. Later Neidpath castle suffered neglect and by 1790 the upper storeys of the wing had collapsed.
The castle is today both a wedding venue and filming location and can be viewed by appointment.
Neidpath Castle is a tall L-plan tower house, one leg of the L being very short. It has rounded corners. The battlements are roofed and the sentry walk is a balustraded balcony. There are few windows, and two still have their iron bar protection. Inside, the basement and the first-floor hall are vaulted, and the hall is further divided by a wooden floor into two storeys. Other features include a pit dungeon, and some small exhibitions of artifacts found in the locale. There are remains of a partly walled garden. The archway is decorated with both the goats head emblem of the Hays and the strawberries of the Frasers.
References:The Beckov castle stands on a steep 50 m tall rock in the village Beckov. The dominance of the rock and impression of invincibility it gaves, challenged our ancestors to make use of these assets. The result is a remarkable harmony between the natural setting and architecture.
The castle first mentioned in 1200 was originally owned by the King and later, at the end of the 13th century it fell in hands of Matúš Èák. Its owners alternated - at the end of the 14th century the family of Stibor of Stiborice bought it.
The next owners, the Bánffys who adapted the Gothic castle to the Renaissance residence, improved its fortifications preventing the Turks from conquering it at the end of the 16th century. When Bánffys died out, the castle was owned by several noble families. It fell in decay after fire in 1729.
The history of the castle is the subject of different legends.