Conferences and meetings for up to 100 people indoors, gala and award dinners, product launches, incentive days and weddings for up to 1,000 guests under marquees can be organized at Thirlestane Castle in Lauder, in the Scottish Borders south of Edinburgh. The castle, still home to the Maitland family, can be booked for exclusive use with its suites and gardens.
Seminars and company events
Thirlestane lists team days, conferences, exhibitions, meetings, product launches, gala dinners and award dinners among its corporate formats. Conference rooms come in several sizes, indoor spaces hold up to 100 people, and every meeting room has an AV connection and Wi-Fi. Catering is available for meeting days. The wider estate is open for team activities such as Highland Games and off-road 4x4 driving, and the grounds can take a marquee or a temporary structure for outdoor events. The castle reports hosting one of the largest one-day incentives in Scotland, a Scottish-themed event for 1,350 guests of a US company. Car brands have used the façade and lawns as a backdrop for launches and photography, and the estate has the facilities to land guests by helicopter.
Weddings and receptions
Weddings run from 2 to 1,000 guests, with exclusive use of the castle, its accommodation and its gardens. The ceremony and drinks format takes up to 100 guests: the ceremony is held in one of the State Rooms and drinks in another indoor or outdoor space of the castle. Elopements and small weddings are also offered.
Rooms and capacities
For dining, the State Drawing Room, with 17th-century ceilings and a view over a former rose garden, takes up to 100. The State Dining Room, lined with Maitland family portraits and looking onto the gardens, takes up to 70. The Victorian Kitchen, recently refurbished around its cast iron range, suits a less formal meal for 40, and the Vaulted Cellar, a former coal store with a log-burning stove, takes 50. The Cobbled Courtyard holds 125 and can be covered with a clear-roofed marquee. Stretch tents and marquees on the Front Lawn, the Terrace or the Rose Garden take up to 1,000.
Accommodation
The castle suites can be booked individually or by a group of up to 16 people, so a board, a client group or a wedding party can stay in the castle itself. Woodland Lodges on the estate add further beds.
Catering
The castle works with award-winning caterers who write menus on request, cook with local produce and handle all dietary requirements. Light entertainment between courses can be arranged.
History and setting
The history of the site goes back to at least the 12th century. The central part of the present castle was completed in 1590, remodeled in the 1670s and enlarged in the 1840s. It is the historic seat of the Duke of Lauderdale, and the Maitland family has lived here for more than 400 years. The castle is owned and run by the Thirlestane Castle Trust, a Scottish charity.
Getting there
From Edinburgh, take the A68 south toward Jedburgh and turn onto the B6362 at the brown tourist signs. The nearest railway stations are Stow, about 10 minutes by car, and Tweedbank, about 20 minutes, both on the Borders Railway from Edinburgh. Hourly buses run from Edinburgh to Lauder on most days and take around 1 hour 10 minutes.
