Outlander's 'Lallybroch' castle in West Lothian plans tourist upgrades to cope with influx of fans
Plans have been submitted to turn a West Lothian castle which found fame after it featured in Outlander into an enhanced tourist attraction
A 15th-century castle in West Lothian that found global fame as the ancestral home of Outlander's Jamie Fraser is in line for an upgrade to cope with an influx of television fans and tourists.
Midhope Castle, located on the Hopetoun Estate in Abercorn, West Lothian, doubles as Lallybroch in the hit series, which tells the story of Claire Randall, a Second World War nurse, who travels back in time to 18th century Scotland.
Since it appeared as one of the main settings in the first series, which premiered in 2014 and stars Sam Heughan as Jamie Fraser, Midhope Castle has seen visits from hordes of fans. For many, the visits make up part of official Outlander tours visiting various Scottish locations featured in the show.
Only the exterior of the castle, including the courtyard and steps, was used in the filming, and the inside of the tower remains derelict.
This week, proposals have been published by the estate owners aimed at making the castle grounds more accessible for visitors, given the Outlander-driven footfall at the site in recent years.
As part of the plans, the owners have asked for consent for a shop, two coffee stands and a toilet block, as well as a new pedestrian bridge and fencing to help improve visitor access.
The proposed structures will fall mostly outside of the curtilage of the Listed Building, and are described as mobile and temporary.
Dating back to the 15th century, the four-storey Midhope Castle was originally home to the Martin and Drummond families.
In 1678, Midhope was given a facelift when an entrance tower was removed and the extension to the east was heightened.
A stone inscribed "AD 1582 MB" commemorates Alexander and his wife Marjory Bruce, the daughter of Robert Bruce of Airth.
A painted ceiling featuring cinquefoil motifs thought to commemorate the marriage of Sir Robert Drummond to a Hamilton heiress has also survived.
Lallybroch is also known as Broch Tuarach - meaning north-facing tower in Gaelic - in Outlander.
Left to Jamie by his parents, Brian and Ellen, Lallybroch is also home to Jamie’s sister, Jenny, her husband Ian Murray and their children.
Executive producer Ronald D. Moore revealed that the castle was one of the first sites scouted for the series, and was exactly what the team had envisioned for Lallybroch.
Key scenes filmed on the estate include the Paris street market, Jamie teaching Willie to ride, as well as the Duke of Sandringham’s duel and Jamie’s sword fight with the MacDonalds.
The castle grounds are open to visitors from 9am to 6pm until September. Tickets are £9.50 for adults and free for children and are available both online and at the gate.
Keen fans of the show who are visiting from Thursday to Monday can also book joint tickets to Midhope Castle and Hopetoun House, which also featured in the all Outlander series. These joint tickets can be bought on arrival at Midhope Castle.