A 500-year-old tower house which was the seat of the Balfours of Burleigh for more than 250 years has reopened to the public
Burleigh Castle in Milnarthort near Kinross is once again open to the public following inspections by specialist staff from Historic Environment Scotland (HES).
Full access restrictions were put in place by HES at the 500-year-old site last year as a precaution pending high level masonry inspections of the stonework, which, like stonework at many other sites, has been deteriorating to a point where there is a risk to safety. HES however, did enable access to the path leading to the 16th century entrance front which is used regularly by the local community.
One access restriction will remain in place, with the first floor of the North Tower yet to be inspected so upper areas of the castle will remain closed for now.
The existing stone buildings at the castle, the historic seat of the Balfours of Burleigh for more than 250 years, date from the late 1400’s or early 1500’s and comprise a tall tower house and the remains of a west courtyard range; though there may have been a residence at the site from the mid-1400's. The castle was adapted and expanded in the late 1500’s before the Balfours lost the land and castle in 1716.
Burleigh is the latest HES site to reopen and increase access following a prioritised programme of inspections, joining attractions such as Doune Castle, Dundonald Castle, St Andrews Castle and St Andrews Cathedral.
HES Director of Operations Craig Mearns said: “We are committed to reopening and increasing access at as many of our sites as soon as possible as we work through our prioritised programme of high-level masonry inspections, which are progressing well.
"Our teams will work through the winter months as far as possible to expedite this work, and where we are able, continue to increase access to more much-loved heritage sites."
Extracted from HES website - read more here