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Cranesmuir in Outlander was filmed in the historic village of Culross in Scotland. The streets around Mercat Cross and Culross Palace double as Geillis Duncan’s village in the series. Stand beside the unicorn at the Cross, and you’re right bang in the middle of Crainesmuir.
All the main filming locations sit within a compact, walkable area — the palace courtyard, Mercat Cross square, herb gardens, and harbour are all connected. This page covers what was filmed at each location and why Culross suited the production. To walk them in sequence with timings and navigation, use the self-guided Cranesmuir walking route.
Culross (Crainesmuir) lies just across the Firth of Forth from South Queensferry. It’s small, preserved, and largely unchanged at street level — which is why it required minimal alteration for filming Outlander.
Below, you’ll find the exact filming spots, what was shot at each one, and what’s realistic if you’re visiting from Edinburgh or a cruise stop. For step-by-step navigation through the village, the walking tour of Culross covers timings, directions, and local context.
Mercat Cross & Village Square
The cobbled square in front of Culross’s Mercat Cross appears on screen as Cranesmuir’s centre — Geillis Duncan’s home village. It’s here Claire watches a boy being punished in public and where townsfolk gather for judgment. The setting was used without major alteration, making it one of the most recognisable filming locations in all of Outlander.
Culross’s town square remains almost unchanged from the 1600s — a rare example of a Scottish royal burgh preserved in full. Located just across the Forth from South Queensferry, the square and surrounding lanes make for a rich historical visit beyond the screen. It’s walkable, photogenic, and perfect for a short day trip from Edinburgh or the cruise port.
Culross Palace & Courtyard
Culross Palace’s ochre walls and crow-stepped gables served as the backdrop to several Outlander scenes. Most notably, it doubled as Geillis Duncan’s home, and its courtyard and upper rooms appeared in multiple Cranesmuir episodes.
Culross Palace is one of Scotland’s finest surviving merchant houses, with intact 17th-century interiors and original painted ceilings. Easily reached from Queensferry, it offers visitors a chance to see both real Scottish heritage and on-screen locations in one stop. The palace is managed by the National Trust for Scotland and open seasonally.
Palace Gardens & Herb Beds
Claire’s herb garden scenes were filmed in the raised beds behind Culross Palace. The tiered terraces and medicinal plants still grow today, and fans will instantly recognise the stone steps where Claire gathered herbs and tended to the ill.
The palace garden is one of the few in Scotland reconstructed using 17th-century planting records. Visitors can explore historic medicinal beds and native species while standing in one of the show’s most serene filming spots — all just a short trip from South Queensferry or Dunfermline.
Many visitors combine Culross with a visit to Edinburgh Castle during their cruise stop in South Queensferry because the Royal Mile also includes some Edinburgh Outlander filming locations.
Jetty View Toward the Village
This view — looking back at Culross from the Forth — was used as an establishing shot of Cranesmuir. It shows how little the town has changed, its rooftops and chimneys rising above the harbour as they did centuries ago.
Culross’s setting on the northern shore of the Firth of Forth makes it an ideal partner stop when exploring from Queensferry. Whether arriving by car or looking for a quieter village beyond Edinburgh, this angle shows why filmmakers return here again and again.
Culross Backstreets
Culross is one of the best-preserved 17th-century villages in Scotland — and it shows. From its ochre-washed palace to its cobbled streets and untouched shoreline, Culross needed almost no set dressing to become Cranesmuir in Outlander. The National Trust village is steeped in authentic period detail, making it the perfect filming location for scenes involving Claire, Geillis, and the town’s eerie superstitions.
Built on the back of trade and salt production, Culross once thrived as a merchant town along the Firth of Forth. Today, its layered rooftops, gabled windows, and medicinal gardens offer a rare glimpse into life as it was in the 1600s. That real history — visible on every doorstep — is what makes Culross not just a filming location, but a place that truly feels lived in.
West Kirk (Black Kirk in Outlander)
Just outside the town, West Kirk appeared as the Black Kirk — a ruined chapel where villagers believed dark forces lingered. Claire visits it with Jamie, uncovering the truth behind the illness haunting Cranesmuir. The real kirk is still atmospheric, surrounded by trees and time.
Though slightly off the main path, West Kirk adds depth to any visit to Culross. For fans or history seekers, it completes the filming trail — and is easily included in a loop trip from Queensferry. Paths may be muddy, but the mood is unforgettable.
Culross & Cranesmuir: Outlander FAQs
What is Cranesmuir in Outlander?
Cranesmuir is a fictional Scottish village in the Outlander story — the home of Geillis Duncan, the mysterious healer Claire befriends in Season 1. It’s where Claire is brought to trial for witchcraft alongside Geillis, in one of the most dramatic arcs of the first series. The village has no direct real-world equivalent in Diana Gabaldon’s books, but on screen it was created entirely from the preserved burgh of Culross in Fife, which required minimal alteration thanks to its intact 17th-century streetscape, cobbled lanes, and original merchant buildings.
Which episodes of Outlander were filmed in Culross?
Culross features most prominently in Season 1. The Cranesmuir storyline builds across several episodes, with the most significant being The Devil’s Mark (Season 1, Episode 11) — the witch trial episode in which Claire and Geillis face accusations in the village square. Earlier Season 1 episodes establish Geillis Duncan’s home and the herb garden scenes, with Culross providing the backdrop from around Episode 5 onwards. The village also appeared in Season 2, where the location was used for an encampment scene during the Jacobite rebellion, and in Season 4, when a house in the village served as Laoghaire’s residence.
Who plays Geillis Duncan in Outlander?
Geillis Duncan is played by Dutch actress Lotte Verbeek. She appears across Seasons 1, 2, and 3, with her character’s story deepening significantly beyond her initial Cranesmuir role. Verbeek’s portrayal — calculating, unsettling, and darkly compelling — became one of the defining performances of the series. Geillis is widely considered one of Outlander’s most complex supporting characters, and her storyline in Culross sets the tone for everything that follows.
Who are the main actors in the Cranesmuir scenes?
The Culross-based Cranesmuir scenes primarily feature Caitríona Balfe as Claire Randall Fraser, Sam Heughan as Jamie Fraser, and Lotte Verbeek as Geillis Duncan. Graham McTavish, who plays Dougal MacKenzie, also appears in storylines that pass through Cranesmuir. The witch trial sequences — filmed around Culross Mercat Cross and the surrounding square — are among the most referenced scenes from Season 1 and involve the core cast directly. Gary Lewis appears as Colum MacKenzie, whose authority over Cranesmuir’s fate drives much of the episode’s tension.
Is Culross Palace the same as Castle Leoch in Outlander?
No. Castle Leoch — the MacKenzie clan stronghold where Claire is first held — was filmed at Doune Castle near Stirling, not at Culross. Culross Palace and its cobbled courtyard served as part of Cranesmuir, a separate village in the story with a distinct role in the narrative. The two locations are geographically and narratively distinct: Doune Castle sits roughly 30 miles northwest of Culross. Fans sometimes associate the palace with Castle Leoch because both buildings are ochre-coloured, period-preserved, and Scottish — but they are different filming locations serving different purposes in the show.
Was the witch trial scene filmed at Culross Mercat Cross?
Yes. The Mercat Cross and the cobbled square around it were used to film the public accusation and trial scenes from Season 1 — the episode in which Claire and Geillis are denounced before the townspeople of Cranesmuir. The enclosed layout of the square, the surrounding 17th-century buildings, and the stone lane entries required almost no alteration for filming. Standing at the cross today, the spatial relationship between the square, the buildings, and the lane entrances is essentially unchanged from what appeared on screen — one of the clearest illustrations of how intact Culross actually is as a period location.
How many seasons of Outlander are there?
Outlander ran for 8 seasons and 101 episodes on Starz, from August 2014 to May 2026. Season 1 (2014) comprised 16 episodes and introduced Claire, Jamie, Cranesmuir, and the core story. Season 2 (2016) moved the action to France before returning to Scotland. Seasons 3 and 4 followed the Frasers across the Atlantic to the American colonies. Seasons 5 and 6 developed the Revolutionary War setting, with Season 6 shortened to 8 episodes due to COVID-19 production delays. Season 7 ran to 16 episodes across two parts (2023–2025). Season 8, the final season, comprised 10 episodes airing from March to May 2026.
When did Outlander end?
Outlander’s final season — Season 8 — concluded on 15 May 2026 on Starz, bringing the series to a close after nearly twelve years. The show had premiered on 9 August 2014. A prequel series, Outlander: Blood of My Blood, premiered on Starz in August 2025. It focuses on the parents of both Jamie Fraser and Claire Beauchamp, covering the years before the original series begins.
Is there an Outlander prequel or follow-up series?
Outlander: Blood of My Blood premiered on Starz in August 2025 as a prequel to the original series. It focuses on the parents of both Jamie Fraser and Claire Beauchamp — covering the years before the events of Season 1 begin. Scottish locations feature prominently, continuing the tradition of the parent series. No sequel following Jamie and Claire beyond the events of Season 8 has been announced.
Is Outlander based on a true story?
No — Outlander is fiction, adapted from Diana Gabaldon’s novel series. However, it draws heavily on real Scottish history and real locations. The Battle of Culloden in 1746 — which forms the central historical backdrop of the story — is a genuine event, the last pitched battle fought on British soil and a catastrophic defeat for the Jacobite cause. Some character names and story details are borrowed from documented history. The historical setting gives the show a factual texture that rewards viewers familiar with Scottish history, even though Jamie and Claire themselves are entirely fictional.
Was Geillis Duncan a real historical person?
The name is borrowed directly from history. The real Geillis (or Gillie) Duncan was a servant in Tranent, East Lothian, who was accused of witchcraft during the North Berwick witch trials of 1590–91 — one of the most high-profile witch hunts in Scottish history. Her case directly involved King James VI of Scotland, who attended some of the proceedings personally and later wrote Daemonologie, a treatise on witchcraft, partly in response to what he witnessed. Diana Gabaldon used the name as an intentional historical reference, giving the fictional Geillis a layer of authenticity that rewards readers familiar with the period.
Who wrote Outlander?
The Outlander novels were written by American author Diana Gabaldon. The first book was published in 1991, and the series now spans nine main novels — from Outlander through Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone (2021) — plus several novellas and companion works. The final novel in the series, My Own Heart’s Blood… and its successors remain among the best-selling historical fiction series in the world. The television adaptation was developed for Starz by Ronald D. Moore, the showrunner known for reimagining Battlestar Galactica. The show premiered on 9 August 2014.
Did Culross appear in Outlander beyond Season 1?
Yes — Culross appeared in three seasons of Outlander. It featured most heavily in Season 1, forming the entire Cranesmuir storyline and the witch trial sequences at Mercat Cross. It returned in Season 2, where the location was used for an encampment scene during the Jacobite rebellion, and in Season 4, when a house in the village served as Laoghaire’s residence. Its Season 1 appearances, particularly the witch trial and the herb garden scenes at Culross Palace, are among the most visually distinctive location choices in the show and the main reason visitors make the journey.
What other Outlander filming locations are near Culross?
Several major Outlander filming locations sit within 30–40 minutes of Culross by road. Blackness Castle on the south shore of the Firth of Forth served as Fort William, the garrison where Captain Jonathan Randall operates. Midhope Castle, on the Hopetoun Estate in West Lothian, was used as the exterior of Lallybroch — the Fraser family home. Hopetoun House itself appeared as the Duke of Sandringham’s estate. All three are accessible from South Queensferry and can be combined with a Culross visit in a single day. Craigmillar Castle in Edinburgh appeared as Ardsmuir Prison in Season 3. Doune Castle in Stirling, used as Castle Leoch, is roughly an hour’s drive further west.
Why was Culross chosen as the filming location for Cranesmuir?
Culross is one of the best-preserved 17th-century burghs in Scotland — and one of the very few that survived largely intact into the modern era. Its cobbled street pattern, merchant buildings, harbour, and crow-stepped gables remained because the town’s economic decline after the collapse of its coal and salt industries effectively froze its development. What other Scottish towns demolished and rebuilt over subsequent centuries, Culross simply kept. For a production requiring an authentic period village with minimal set dressing, it was an obvious choice and a rare one. Very few places in Scotland could credibly pass as a functioning 16th or 17th-century settlement without substantial alteration or studio construction.
Where Next?
Outlander Locations in Edinburgh
Follow Claire’s journey into the heart of the city with Outlander filming locations in Edinburgh – including Jamie’s print shop at Bakehouse Close, Craigmillar Castle as Ardsmuir Prison, and royal interiors at the Palace of Holyroodhouse. These sites are just a short ride from Queensferry and easy to explore on foot.
Outlander Locations near Queensferry
Want to visit Lallybroch, Fort William, and the Duke of Sandringham’s estate? These Outlander locations near South Queensferry – including Midhope Castle, Blackness Castle, and Hopetoun House — are all within 15 minutes of the cruise port.
Cranesmuir Walking Tour (Culross)
Step inside the real Cranesmuir. This structured Culross Outlander walk follows the filming route through Mercat Cross, Culross Palace, the herb gardens and harbour. It’s a practical, self-guided loop designed to help you experience the village properly — not just tick off locations.
Culross Palace Herb garden niki.L, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
Picture: Culross Mercat Cross Phillip Capper, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
Scott Gibson grew up in South Queensferry and runs queensferry.net. The Forth and Edinburgh guides come from lived experience — tender days at Hawes Pier, cruise traffic, the shortcuts into the city. For the wider Scotland cruise ports, he draws on friends in some of the port towns alongside port, operator and transport sources — so the detail holds up on the ground, not just on paper. Clear directions, real timings, no brochure fluff.