House of the Binns

The House of the Binns is an early 17th century house east of Linlithgow, owned by the National Trust for Scotland and home to the Dalyell family for 400 years. The interior features fine plaster ceilings and a collection of period furnishings, including material relating to General Tam Dalyell. The surrounding parkland is free to walk in, with views over the Firth of Forth to the north.

The house opens on limited days during the summer season — check the NTS website before visiting. The name Binns comes from the Scots word "binn" meaning a hill, and the house sits on a small ridge above the surrounding farmland. It is about five kilometres east of Linlithgow town centre, accessible by car or a longish walk along country roads.

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A story
The House of the Binns was the ancestral home of General Tam Dalyell, who raised the Royal Scots Greys cavalry regiment here in 1681. General Dalyell had served the Royalist cause during the Civil War and was captured at the Battle of Worcester in 1651. After escaping from the Tower of London — apparently through a window — he went on to serve the Tsar of Russia before returning to Scotland at the Restoration.

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