Uttershill Castle was originally a late 16th century stone rectangular defensible farmhouse or laird's house, founded by the Penicuik family. This western half of the two storey castle consisted of a barrel vaulted undercroft, with a stair in the thickness of the east wall giving access to the main chamber, with probably a garret above. Defined by steep scarps and the possible remains of a wide north-western barmkin wall, the castle stands on a low platform. In the early 17th century, the Preston family founded the first floor hall house when modifying the main chamber and adding an eastern extension of a ground floor kitchen, with a solar and a garret above. Two 17th century outbuildings once abutted against the south wall but after the castle was abandoned in the late 18th or early 19th centuries, both the internal and external structures plus the roof gables, collapsed or were dismantled. Later a substantial portion of the south wall collapsed but a mural chamber in the kitchen was still used as a gunpowder store. Abandoned again in the early 20th century, the castle was then left to slowly crumble. 2 miles north-east is Auchendinny House.