Smithfield was acquired from the Dicksons of Winkston by the March family, from whom it passed by sale in 1729, to David Plenderleath of Blyth. Plenderleath was not long in possession and in 1739, he sold the lands to Alexander Stevenson. Stevenson’s son, also Alexander, succeeded as heir in 1767. It was while in the possession of this Alexander Stevenson, or shortly afterwards, that Smithfield lost its old name and from the adjoining hill, became known thereafter as Venlaw.

Venlaw House was built on the site of Smithfield Castle in 1782 by the Sheriff Deputy of Peeblesshire, Alexander Stevenson. Sixteen years later, the house was bought by Major Archibald Erskine and on his death, was conveyed to his son, Sir James Erskine in 1862. Thirty years later in 1892, Sir James Erskine commissioned architectural firm MacGibbon & Ross to extend the house, adding an additional (attic conversion) storey to the main house and a new three-storey baronial-style wing to the south elevation of the property.

During World War I, Venlaw was used as a convalescent home for 12 naval officers. In 1915, the intake increased to 30 and Venlaw House officially became an auxiliary Red Cross Hospital.

Venlaw Castle Hotel opened in 1949. This seems to be the point at which the house became a ‘castle’. In 1997, Venlaw was sold to John and Shirley Sloggie and was renamed ‘Castle Venlaw Hotel’ which according to John, was “so that people could more easily find it in directory listings, castle being easier to remember than Venlaw”. Thus, the 1949 commercially motivated upgrade from house to ‘castle’ was sustained.

In 2020-2021, Venlaw house was developed to provide eleven apartments, eight flats in the original building, with a further three new-builds situated in a new annexe to the north.