Thirlestane Castle Trust

Charity registered in Scotland SC011491

To preserve the castle, its historical documents and grounds for the nation and future generations.
To increase access to the castle, its grounds and collections for both leisure and study.
To share the history of the castle and the surrounding area of Lauder and beyond with as many people as possible.


Current opportunities

Become part of the long and wonderful volunteering history at Thirlestane Castle by being a member of the team that brings its heritage to life for everyone to share. Thirlestane Castle is open to the public for guided tours from May to September, and for private guided tours the rest of the year. We receive five-star reviews for our guided tours which are delivered with passion and often humour by our guides who help to bring to life the castle’s long history. If you have an interest in history and enjoy engaging with the public, you may like to become a tour guide. Any time that our guides can give is appreciated but as a guideline, we recommend committing to a minimum of two sessions per month – each session lasting up to 4 hours. However, this is totally flexible and will depend upon your own commitments.

Become part of the long and wonderful volunteering history at Thirlestane Castle by being a member of the team that brings its heritage to life for everyone to share. Our volunteer helpers are friendly and welcoming of our visitors. They support tour guides and then provide hospitality to visitors in the tearoom and gift shop. We are looking for people who enjoy engaging with a range of different people and who are good communicators. We ask our helpers to commit to a minimum of two days a month with each day lasting up to four hours. However, this is totally flexible and will depend upon your own commitments.

Become part of the long and wonderful volunteering history at Thirlestane Castle by being a member of the team that brings its heritage to life for everyone to share. We’re really excited to introduce this new volunteer role. If you love being outdoors, Thirlestane Castle has over 500 acres of parkland to enjoy. As you can imagine with an estate of that size, much work goes into its upkeep to ensure it always looks its best for our visitors. This role includes planting and weeding, grass cutting and general grounds maintenance.