The
Castle, which was built around a 1320 Pele Tower given by King Robert
the Bruce to the Earl of Moray, is the seat of the Hay family.
It
was bought for William Hay of Drummelzier by his father The Earl of
Tweedale in 1696, and the family have lived there in unbroken succession
ever since, considerably enlarging and embellishing the building into
its final Gothic Revival form, designed by the celebrated architect
James Gillespie Graham between 1818 and 1822.
As
a private home not open to the general public, the castle enjoys a serenity
and timelessness rare in the modern world.
The
current owner, Alexander Hay and his wife Aline, are dedicated to retaining
the 
essential
character of the Castle and Estate whilst providing the highest standards
of modern comfort. The family offer it as an exclusive and unique venue
for weddings. The essence of the arrangement is that those visiting
are in every respect welcomed as guests in a private home.
Although
the estate borders the country town of Duns, it has complete seclusion
and offers beautiful woodland and hill vistas and walks.
Duns
Law on the Estate is the historic scene of the rising of the Scottish
covenanters against Charles I in 1639 under General Leslie, who was
quartered in the Castle.
The
first Mrs Hay of Duns Castle was a descendent of Mary Seton, a lady-in-waiting
of Mary Queen of Scots and the house has strong Stuart connections.
The
ancient Abbey towns of Kelso, Melrose and Jedburgh are within an easy
drive, as are the woolen mills of the Tweed Valley.
There
are several well known Scottish east coast golf courses in the vicinity,
and the fortified town of Berwick-upon-Tweed is only 16 miles away.
Three or four large Stately Homes are open to the public within a short
radius.
For
bookings and information on Weddings at Duns Castle - Click
here
There
is so much to see at Duns Castle...
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"...We
can't ever say enough about the professionalism, friendship, and
commitment of Yvonne. After selecting Scottish Wedding Consultants,
we exchanged e-mails with Yvonne as she led us through the requirements
and choices of preparing our wedding. The preparation beforehand
was expert; but it was only when we actually arrived that we began
to discover how wonderful our experience would be."
Pam & Tim, Michigan, USA
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