Dirleton Castle (2)
The de Vaux family were Normans from near Rouen, in what is now northern France, who settled in England following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The following century, two de Vaux brothers, or they may have been cousins, were among a number of Anglo-Norman knights invited to Scotland, and granted land, by King David I of Scotland. Hubert de Vaux was given the barony of Gilsland in Cumbria (which at that time was still part of Scotland), while John de Vaux was granted the barony of Dirleton. He built two castles in his barony (neither of them here), probably of timber, no evidence of which now remains.
In the 1220s, John de Vaux, who was Steward to Mary de Coucy, Queen of Alexander II, inherited Dirleton from his father William and started the construction of Dirleton Castle. A reconstruction of the castle he built is shown here (photographed on an information sign at the castle). The picture shows the south front of the castle (bottom left), as shown in the first photograph, with a bridge and draw-bridge leading to the main gate. To the left of this entrance is a cluster of towers which were the donjon, the castle within a castle, to which the defenders retired if the enemy got into the main castle. The principal de Vaux rooms were in the donjon. The donjon is the most substantial section of the de Vaux castle still remaining. The two round towers on the east side (right) were destroyed, although their foundations still remain, with later work built on top.
Dirleton Castle (2)
The de Vaux family were Normans from near Rouen, in what is now northern France, who settled in England following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The following century, two de Vaux brothers, or they may have been cousins, were among a number of Anglo-Norman knights invited to Scotland, and granted land, by King David I of Scotland. Hubert de Vaux was given the barony of Gilsland in Cumbria (which at that time was still part of Scotland), while John de Vaux was granted the barony of Dirleton. He built two castles in his barony (neither of them here), probably of timber, no evidence of which now remains.
In the 1220s, John de Vaux, who was Steward to Mary de Coucy, Queen of Alexander II, inherited Dirleton from his father William and started the construction of Dirleton Castle. A reconstruction of the castle he built is shown here (photographed on an information sign at the castle). The picture shows the south front of the castle (bottom left), as shown in the first photograph, with a bridge and draw-bridge leading to the main gate. To the left of this entrance is a cluster of towers which were the donjon, the castle within a castle, to which the defenders retired if the enemy got into the main castle. The principal de Vaux rooms were in the donjon. The donjon is the most substantial section of the de Vaux castle still remaining. The two round towers on the east side (right) were destroyed, although their foundations still remain, with later work built on top.