Hailes Castle is located two kilometers from East Linton, East Lothian council area, Scotland. At the moment, the castle lies in ruins, and since 1926 is the property of Scotland.

The first building of the castle - fortified residential tower, built by Hugh de Gurleem before 1300 and is thus one of the oldest buildings of its kind in Scotland. Clan de Gurleev supported England during the Scottish wars of independence and, therefore, their lands were confiscated and moved to the Scottish crown, and in the XIV century passed Hepburn family.

20 December 1451 Sir Patrick Hepburn royal decree has been dubbed the first Lord Hales and in addition he was transferred to the land formerly owned by Earl of March. It was under Sir Patrick was made expansion of the castle. There was a huge four-story tower on the west side and another, slightly smaller, on the east, and connects them long wall running along the River Tyne. Another part of the fortress wall was built in the XIII century.

Hailes Castle survived many sieges: in 1400, he survived an attack by Harry Hotspur Percy, Earl of March ally, but in 1443 succumbed under the onslaught of the troops Archibald Dunbar. After the Battle of Pinkie (1547) Hailes Castle was occupied by British troops under the leadership of Lord Grey of Wilton. In 1567, James Hepburn took in the castle the Queen Mary Stuart, then all of its land, including Hailes Castle, became the property of the Scottish crown.

After the Battle of Dunbar (1650), the castle was partially destroyed by Oliver Cromwell and then passed from hand to hand, until in 1700 was purchased by the family of Dalrymple of Hailes. In the middle of the XIX century the castle was used as a granary, and the owners, taking advantage of the ensuing political stability, moved to a new estate in New Hales.

The castle is located on a promontory of the River Tyne and protects the way to Edinburgh. The largest surviving building - a square donjon-West Tower, which is a smaller version of the tower, built more Hugues de Gurleem and rebuilt in the XVI century. We also found a room of the XV century, has lost roofs, which were found stoup and tabernacle for the oil, which suggests that this room probably used as a chapel, and not as a living space. In the basement of the XV century earlier to make bread and beer.