Description:

Yester Castle stands to the south east of Gifford in the direction of Quarryford. The castle, difficult to see among the trees, was built in 1267 by Sir Hugo Gifford, also known as the "Wizard of Yester".

Sir Hugo de Giffard was considered to be a powerful warlock and necromancer. It is in the undercroft of the castle that he was thought to practise his sorcery. The 15th-century chronicler Walter Bower mentions the large cavern in Yester Castle, thought locally to have been formed by magic.

Legend supposed that Hugo was able, via a pact with the Devil, to raise a magical army to his aid, and use them to carry out his will. It is this army of hobgoblins that was considered the builders of Yester Castle.

During the Wars of Independence (early 14^th century) English and Scots both coveted the castle.

The castle is now a ruin (Cromwell!) and little remains above ground other than a stretch of curtain wall, but the hall underneath (known as the ‘Goblin Ha’) is substantially intact and a wonder to behold. In the autumn of 2021 unknown persons have caused damage to Goblin Ha and therefore the castle has now been closed to the public for the foreseeable future.