In the 1560s, their descendant Sir James Sandilands was made the First Lord Torphichen by Mary Queen of Scots, commissioning the construction of a stately Mansion House on his lands.

As a result, the current form of the house dates principally from this period, as attested by a drawing by Timothy Pont from around 1590.

Much of the present Calder House dates to the mid-16th century, and is built in a traditional L-plan form, with a main block three-storeys high.

The interior although greatly altered, exhibits three contiguous vaulted chambers in older part of first storey of main block, a drawing room (previously great hall) in the second floor with pine paneling and tall windows, a kitchen, and a fine scale-and-platt stair in wing.

It also incorporates a traditional brick-built 'cup and dome' Icehouse, dug into the North slope of the hill close by the House itself.