Sadly, In todays society, History is something that is often disregarded by many. This is very much the case in many of West Lothian’s Towns and Villages. So many people living In places packed with historical wealth, yet havent a clue about the history of where they live. In Bathgate for Instance, ask some of the residents what they know about Bathgate Castle and theyl shrug and say ‘What Castle?”

. Most dont even know It’s there. Even fewer know that It’s the home seat of the Royal House of Stewart. The Ancestors of the current Monarch of the united Kingdom, King Charles III. It also belonged to Robert the Bruce before that.

Bathgate Castle

Most peoples First place they associate the monarchy in west Lothian is Linlithgow. The Palace residence of many of the Scottish kings and Queens and also the Birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots. Granted, there’s not much of the building’s remains left to see. So One could be forgiven for being unaware of It’s existence. its existence. But, back in the early medieval period of the 14th century, Bathgate castle was a Royal hunting Lodge of King Robert the First of Scotland.

However, later his daughter Marjory was married to his right hand man, Walter the Steward (AKA, Walter Stewart). The Bruce gifted him the Castle as a kinda Dowry for the matrimony of his daughter and friend,. It was also here in 1323 that Marjory gave Birth to their Son Robert in Bathgate Castle. Born and raised In Bathgate, the child would grow to become King Robert II of Scots as well as the First ever Stewart Monarch.

The Castle Today

The ancient site of Bathgate Castle now lies buried below a putting green on the 9th hole of Bathgate Gold Course. The ruins of the old, easily medieval building are a ‘Category C’ listed building. This means that they cant be knocked down or taken away. But they can however, be buried over as they are. So If you walked over the area today without any knowledge of the castles existence, you’d probably never notice it. You can see It’s circular outline from the sky, as seen In Aerial Photographs taken of the castle in the past.

However, It’s legacy still survives In some of the nearby Street names such as Castle Terrace and Stuart Place. The Matrimony of Princess Marjory Bruce and Walter the Steward that gave birth to the Royal House of Stewart, is celebrated each year in the towns Gala day pageant, played out and re-enacted by the local school kids. Although, despite these memento’s, so many of the towns

Bathgate Castle Is just another One of the many Historic Gems of West Lothian that Is so often overlooked. Our Towns and villages we live in and their surrounding areas are so often packed with historical wealth. Yet all too often, It’s completely Ignored and we see Old historic buildings being hastily demolished.