Castle Tantallon was built in the XIV century and is located 5 miles from North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland. The castle is situated on a promontory and surrounded on three sides by the sea and only from the South-West side is surrounded by a fortified wall made of red Sandstone. The wall is 15 meters in height, 3, 6 meters in width and 90 meters in length.

North-West tower bears the name of Douglas and destroyed on the West side. In this seven-story tower housed the private chambers of the Lord, and in the lower floor of the jail was located on the floor above - the toilet room. East tower consists of five floors, but after the siege of 1528 bottom three floors were converted into two large. At the same time were added huge loopholes. The Central tower, located above the lobby, consists of four floors and is 24 meters high. In the tower were formerly living rooms with fireplaces, but no floors or internal walls have not survived. In the XIV century was completed defensive inner gate, but partially preserved to this day, despite the siege of 1528.

The main rooms of the castle, including the main hall and courtyard, located in the North. Areas in the East were destroyed by the sea, but we know that there also were living room and a bakery. The East side was still low inner wall, which survived only underground passage to the sea, and in the XIX century there was found a well. The castle was surrounded by two long ditches, behind the rampart were found traces of the third trench is smaller, and the remains of the seventeenth century dovecote.

The first owner of the castle of Tantallon is presumably William Douglas, the nephew of one of the associates of Robert the Bruce. The first written mention of the castle dates back to 1374, and the castle was built around 1350. William Douglas, who became count in 1358, lived here with his mistress Margaret Stewart, Countess of Angus. After his death in 1389 castle went to their illegitimate son of George Douglas, Earl of Angus, which caused a schism in the clan Douglas. The head of the family was Archibald Douglas, whose descendants became known as the Black Douglas, while the descendants of George, who took just tantallon castle, was called the Red Douglas. The black Douglas, who spoke against the Scottish crown, was defeated in may 1455 at the battle of Arkinholm.

In 1490 Archibald, 5th Earl of Angus, had conspired with the king of England Henry VII, and on October 11, 1491 castle was besieged by the king of Scotland James IV. However, Archibald decided to give up, and the lock was not damaged. In 1525 Archibald, 6th Earl of Angus, with the support of the king of England Henry VIII captured the young king of Scotland James V and proclaimed himself ruler. However, in 1528, a 16-year-old king James had fled, Archibald announced a traitor, and laid siege to tantallon castle on 23 October of the same year. The castle has undergone twenty-day cannon fire, but survived. The siege was raised, but the castle still did not receive the supplies of food and weapons, so in may 1529 the castle was surrendered. He was a Royal property until the death of James V in 1542.

The second half of the XVI century tantallon castle, formally belonged to the Earls of Angus, passed from hand to hand because of conflicts between England and Scotland. In 1557 the castle was captured by the army of Queen Regent Mary of guise, in 1566, the castle was visited by Queen Mary Stuart, and in 1588 the graphs Angus left the castle.

During the Bishops ' wars tantallon castle was again besieged in 1639, as the owners have stayed true to the Catholic faith. In 1651 during the English revolution the castle was put under siege by the troops of Oliver Cromwell and was put. After the siege the castle was so poor condition that live in it was impossible. The first restoration works were produced only in the late nineteenth century.