原址早於12世紀已經是皇室的莊園[1]。由於地理位置得宜，它後來成為了往來愛丁堡城堡及斯特靈城堡之間不可或缺的重要軍事基地，以確保這補給路線不受強盜所滋擾。受命於愛德華一世，堡壘於1302年4月開始動工，由建築大師聖喬治的詹姆斯設計[2]，兩名神職人員負責監工，聘請了60名男工和140名女工，以男工每日兩便士、女工每日一便士的薪酬[3]，馬不停蹄連日趕工，另外亦調配了百多名士兵協助建築於1303年夏季完成[4]。
1424年，林利思哥市鎮遇到大火，部分的建築物被焚毀[1]，當時的蘇格蘭王國詹姆斯一世下令擴建堡壘，使之成為蘇格蘭皇室的其中一個行宮，同時亦修葺了宮殿旁邊的聖邁克爾教區教堂[5]。
往後數代的君主詹姆斯三世、四世和五世都曾經擴建林利思哥宮，令它的佈局漸漸正規化。蘇格蘭女王瑪麗一世在這裡出生，詹姆斯六世的女兒伊莉莎白·斯圖亞特更長居於此[6]。
Accounts of the Master of Works, vol. 1 (1957) HMSO, lxvi, (Latin).
Simpson, Grant, & Galbraith, James, ed., Calendar Documents Scotland in PRO and British Library, vol. 5 supplementary, SRO (n.d), no. 305, no. 472 (h, j, u), 'j' mentions Robert de Wynpol (Wimpole) working in Summer 1303, 472 (k) mentions the Warwolf lupus-guerre siege engine at Stirling Castle. Register of the Privy Council of Scotland, vol 10 (1891), 521.
- Ian Campbell: Linlithgow’s 'Princely Palace' and its Influence in Europe. In: Architectural Heritage. Jg. 5, 1995, ISSN 1350-7524, S. 1–20 (online).
- Martin Coventry: The castles of Scotland. A comprehensive references and gazetteer to more than 2000 castles. 2. Auflage. Goblinshead, Edinburgh 1997, ISBN 1-899874-10-0, S. 239–240.
- Adrian Cox: Linlithgow Palace. The official souvenir guide. Historic Scotland, [Edinburgh] 2010, ISBN 978-1-84917-046-8.
- Richard Dargie: Scottish castles & fortifications. 2. Auflage. GW Publishing, Thatcham 2009, ISBN 978-0-9561211-0-3, S. 76.
- John G. Dunbar: Scottish royal palaces. The architecture of the royal residences during the late Medieval and early Renaissance periods. Tuckwell, East Linton 1999, ISBN 1-86232-042-X, S. 5–21, 217–222 (online).
- Lloyd R. Laing: Excavations at Linlithgow Palace, West Lothian, 1966-7. In: Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. Band 99, 1968, ISSN 0081-1564, S. 111–147 (PDF; 2,9 MB).
- Lloyd R. Laing: Medieval and other material in Linlithgow Palace museum. In: Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. Band 101, 1970, ISSN 0081-1564, S. 134–145 (PDF; 1,1 MB).
- David MacGibbon, Thomas Ross: The castellated and domestic architecture of Scotland. Band 1. David Douglas, Edinburgh 1887, S. 478–501 (online).
- Denys Pringle: Linlithgow Palace. A historical guide to the royal palace and peel. HMSO, Edinburgh 1989.
- J. S. Richardson, James Beveridge: Linlithgow Palace, West Lothian. 2. Auflage. HMSO, Edinburgh 1963.
