[3] Adamson owned large estates in what is now north-western Edinburgh, including Craigleith, Groathill and Clermiston.

[3] The Adamson family constructed, or reconstructed, Craigcrook Castle, and owned it until 1659, when it was sold to John Mein, a merchant in Edinburgh.

Ten years later it became the home of Sir John Hall of Dunglass, who later was the Lord Provost of Edinburgh in 1689.

On Strachan's death in 1719, his property, including Craigcrook Castle, was left for charitable purposes.

[3] The charitable Craigcrook Mortification, which was set up on the death of John Strachan, retains ownership of the castle and grounds.

[4] In 1707 Strachan's servant, Helen Bell, was murdered beneath the Castle Rock in Edinburgh, en route to Craigcrook and the murderers used her key to enter Strachan's Edinburgh townhouse, where they stole £900 in silver coin and £100 in gold coin.

However, the nature of the vaulting inside suggests that the core of an earlier fortalice was extensively rebuilt or extended at this time.

Soon after he took on the tenancy, Jeffrey added a drawing room wing to the north, and in 1818 commissioned David Roberts to decorate the library.

Craigcrook Castle was known during the 19th century for its literary soirées; among the guests were Charles Dickens, Hans Christian Andersen, George Eliot and Lord Tennyson.

of Drylaw, in a hollow at the foot of Corstorphine Hill, which here makes a turn or crook to the eastward, whence the name is derived, stands Craigcrook, apparently the most ancient edifice in the parish".