Haunted Hosts

The Court Residence occupies one of Linlithgow's most historically significant Victorian buildings, the former Sheriff Court designed by the prominent Edinburgh architectural partnership of Thomas Brown II and James Maitland Wardrop in 1863. The building served as the centre of local justice for over 150 years before its conversion to an aparthotel in the 2010s. A single-storey cell block was added to the property in 1875, expanding the facility's capacity to hold those awaiting trial or sentencing. The structure holds Category B listed status under Historic Environment Scotland (listing LB37400), recognising its architectural merit and historical importance to the Scottish legal system. The courthouse's location on Linlithgow High Street places it at the heart of Scottish royal history. Directly opposite stands the imposing ruin of Linlithgow Palace, birthplace of Mary, Queen of Scots on 8 December 1542. The palace served as a principal residence of Scottish monarchs for centuries before falling into disrepair following a devastating fire in 1746. The proximity to such royal heritage meant that the Sheriff Court witnessed proceedings connected to one of Scotland's most important historical towns. The building's position also marks the site of one of Scotland's most notorious political assassinations. On 23 January 1570, James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray and Regent of Scotland, was shot while riding along the High Street. The assassin, James Hamilton of Bothwellhaugh, fired the fatal shot from a window of Archbishop John Hamilton's house - a building that stood directly opposite where the Sheriff Court now rises. A plaque on the Court Residence commemorates this dark moment in Scottish history. The conversion of the courthouse into modern accommodation has preserved many original Victorian features while creating a unique lodging experience in the shadow of Scotland's royal past.