Hawthornden Castle

Hawthornden Castle by Alexander Nasmyth (1758-1840)

The Residency

Hawthornden Literary Retreat at Hawthornden Castle in Scotland was originally founded to provide a peaceful setting for creative writers to work without disturbance. The residency receives writers for ten months of the year. It houses six writers at a time, in sessions lasting four weeks each. 

The residency is international in character and welcomes applications from writers from all over the world. Creative writers of many kinds – poets, novelists, short-story writers, playwrights, scriptwriters, essayists, creative nonfiction writers, translators – are welcome to apply.

The Castle and Grounds

Hawthornden Castle dates from the 15th century, and like many Scottish castles has been continually adapted and extended. It was formerly the home of the poet William Drummond of Hawthornden (1585 – 1649), who completed his own restoration of the building in 1638. It was at Hawthornden that Drummond received his friend the poet and playwright Ben Jonson in 1619 on his celebrated walk from London to Scotland. The castle remained in the hands of the Drummond family until the 1970s. In 1982, it was bought by Drue Heinz, the international philanthropist and patron of the arts, with the intention of founding a literary retreat similar to other retreats in the United States. The routine and organization of the residency program remain those originally devised by Drue Heinz herself.

The castle stands on an isolated rock above the gorge of the river North Esk, and although only seven miles from Edinburgh is entirely surrounded by woods. In the 18th and 19th centuries, it was renowned as one of the great Romantic landscapes of Scotland and was much visited. As a residency site, the castle is now more secluded, but the landscape remains largely untouched to this day.

The Routine

No demands are made on the writers’ time during the sessions. The aim is to provide a refuge from the distractions and duties of daily life to allow the writers to concentrate fully on their writing. The writers may choose not to attend breakfast or dinner, and they may arrange readings or other entertainments amongst themselves, but there is no prescribed social activity at the castle. Nor are writers expected to give any account of their work. With these aims in mind, it should also be noted:

1. Generally silence is maintained at the castle from 9am to 6pm.

2. As of 2024, internet service is now available at the residency. 

Applicants with any physical disabilities are advised to consult the Site Director before applying. The castle is an ancient building with narrow entrances, many stairs and no lift. Within your application, there is also an opportunity to describe other needed accommodations.

The Residencies

Writers awarded a residency will be invited to attend one of eight annual sessions. Each session lasts four weeks, running through most of the calendar year. The residency provides a stipend to each writer, but does not provide any direct assistance arranging travel. As guests of the residency, the writers receive full room and board for the duration of their session. Writers have the use of a private study bedroom and other communal facilities including an extensive library, studio, drawing room, garden room, as well as the castle garden, walks, woods and grounds. Breakfast and dinner are communal meals served in a dining room at set hours. Lunch is provided in a basket delivered to the writers’ rooms so as not to disrupt any working routine. All dietary requirements and preferences – vegetarian, vegan, allergies – are catered for. Laundry is taken in and linen changed once a week. Towels and dressing gowns are provided.

Hawthornden Castle Staff

Hamish Robinson, Site Director
Gillian McNulty, Head Housekeeper
Debbie Inglis, Housekeeper
Ruth Shannon, Cook

Elegibility

If you have been a Hawthornden Writer in the past, you are eligible for any other Hawthornden site after a one-year hiatus. After a hiatus of five years, you will be eligible to return to the site where you have already been a Writer.

Applications for Residency

Please refer to our online application form linked above.

Translations of Writing Samples

Applications from writers working in languages other than English are required to include English translations of their work sample as well as the text in the original language. Such applicants should be reasonably fluent in spoken English in order to participate in the life of the residency.

As of 2024, any applicant who writes in a language other than English may ask for their writing sample to be translated into English for the purposes of their application. This is a service provided by Hawthornden Foundation through the literary organization Words Without Borders. (Please note that in some cases, Words Without Borders may not be able to secure a translator working in the applicant’s language.) Please also note that while the applicant will have a chance to review the translation before submitting it to Hawthornden, they will not have the opportunity to correspond with the translator.

Should you choose to take advantage of this translation service, you will be asked to sign an agreement with WWB that commits you to providing the proper translation credit.

2026 Session Dates

Please note, session dates are provisional and may vary. Please refer to this page for the most accurate session information. Should dates change, we will continue to update them here. In 2026, only eight sessions will be offered.

Hawthornden Castle

• Session I: Sunday, 11 January – Saturday, 7 February

• Session II: Sunday, 15 February – Saturday, 14 March

• Session III: Sunday, 22 March – Saturday, 18 April

• Session IV: Sunday, 26 April – Saturday, 23 May

• Session V: Sunday, 7 June – Saturday, 4 July

• Session VI: Sunday, 30 August – Saturday, 26 September

• Session VII: Sunday, 11 October – Saturday, 7 November

• Session VIII: Sunday, 15 November – Saturday, 12 December