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Linlithgow Palace

Linlithgow
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Stewarts' stop-off

Once a majestic royal residence of the Stewarts, Linlithgow Palace today lies roofless and ruined. Yet entering the palace gates still inspires awe in visitors.

James I ordered work on a palace to begin in 1424, following a fire that severely damaged the earlier residence. The elegant, new ‘pleasure palace’ became a welcome rest stop for royals on the busy road between Edinburgh Castle and Stirling Castle.

The Stewart queens especially liked the peace and fresh air, and Linlithgow Palace served as the royal nursery for James V (born 1512), Mary Queen of Scots (born 1542) and Princess Elizabeth (born 1596).

But the palace fell quickly into decline when James VI moved the royal court to London in 1603, following his coronation as James I of England.

Ornate stone fountain from inside a palace. Stairs in a dark entranceway lead up to the light, outdoor courtyard
A well-kept palace ruin in front of blue sky
Linlithgow Palace's north range from inside the courtyard. Some people are chatting on a bench

An ancient site

Linlithgow Palace stands on a low hill above a small inland loch. The name Linlithgow means ‘the loch in the damp hollow’.

The site was first occupied as far back as Roman times 2,000 years ago. There has been a royal residence here since at least the reign of David I (1124–53). He also founded the town that grew up around the royal residence.

Peace in Linlithgow was shattered in 1296, when Edward I of England invaded Scotland. The ‘Hammer of the Scots’ had a formidable defence built around the royal residence in 1302. He called it his ‘pele’ (from the Old French ‘pel’, meaning ‘stake’).

No visible features of the original Linlithgow Peel survive. The name is now used for the attractive parkland that surrounds the remains of the later Stewart palace.

A grey, moody sky, autumn leaves on trees, and a palace sits atop a hill beside a loch
A palace wall with men riding on horses coming through an entranceway in the middle, and a crowd of people walking up stairs on the left

A longstanding Stewart project

James I had begun work on the new palace shortly after his return from captivity in England. Over the course of the next century and more, his heirs completed the great task.

Palace highlights include the:

  • Great Hall built for James I

  • royal apartments added by James IV (1488–1513)

  • three-tiered courtyard fountain added by James V in 1538

  • north quarter rebuilt for James VI (1567–1625)

The end result was a hugely impressive quadrangular palace, its four ranges grouped around a central courtyard.

A well-maintained stone spiral staircase from a middle floor, leading up and down
Linlithgow Palace and St Michael's Church from across Linlithgow Loch
Well-preserved stone walls with shapes that may show where fire and water were used in food preparation in this palatial kitchen

What makes Linlithgow important?

Read our Statement of Significance for Linlithgow Palace for facts, figures and further reading about its history.

Linlithgow Palace Statement of Significance
Frozen lock with swans and ducks, some on top of the ice and some in areas that have thawed. A palace and church are on a hill behind

Our archives and collections

Get a further glimpse into Linlithgow Palace's history by exploring archive images and collections objects on trove.scot, your companion to researching Scotland’s past.

Explore trove.scot
People conversing in a small shop with arched red ceiling
Aerial view of Linlithgow Palace from above town with loch in background
A person in a hard hat repairs a wall near the top of the palace