User:Gwinva/Castles south

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  • Castles in south east Scotland : Borders, Edinburgh & Lothians

[text here about nature of castles: brief history and explanation of terms, types, and so forth. regional influences. illustration or two]

notes: Early castles were built in the motte-and-bailey format [expand], a technique reaching Scotland in the early 12th century, brought by Norman settlers [somewhat after the technique used in England].[1] The Norman and English custom of building large keeps was not as widespread in Scotland.[1]

From 13th C English style more common; (indistinguishable from those in England), great curtain-wall enclosure castles: Enceinte. high walls, round towers, gate houses, such as Tantallon Castle, built in 14th.[1] But style replaced by the tower house.

A distinctive form of architecture in Scotland is the tower house, built in large numbers from the mid-fourteenth century, until the mid-seventeenth century.[2] This differed from the practice in England, which favoured courtyard castles; moreover, castle-building declined in England and Wales from the end of the fifteenth century.[2]

Tower houses differed from the early keep-style castles. Contain: barrel-vaulted ceilings rather than wooden floors of Norman keeps (stone more plentiful than wood??), no portcullises: barred with sturdy iron gate or "yett"; often ground-floor entrance, not second-floor of keeps. Major difference = self contained (keeps had additional buildings in bailey) tower house= bedchambers, halls, kitchens, stores.[3] Often additional domestic buildings associated, (part of complex) however.[4] Archeological finds show occupied as houses, not just fortifications.[5] Many later towers, such as Borthwick Castle, were military in appearance, but lacked full defensive capabilities (such as hoardings, arrow slits, crenellations, murder-holes; built for appearance and fashion, rather than real defensive purpose; fact borne out by length and expense of build: built in peace time.[6] T-H's built with king's permission; centre of community.[7]

However, the border with England had different requirements: border reivers etc.

Smailholm Tower is an example of a peel tower
Smailholm Tower is an example of a peel tower
this better?
this better?

13th C border fairly peaceful, reflected in domestic architecture; less defensible buildings than in the past, low halls.[8] From beginning of Wars of Scottish Independence, late 13th C, on war, reiving, unrest plagued area for three centuries. Defence important again: defensive towers. English side predominately had simple Bastle houses and peel towers (pele); less dominant on wealthier Scottish side, where there were also strong tower houses built by wealthy lowland lairds.[9] [see p 215 for pele towers]

The original tower house at Lauriston Castle has been altered and adapted to create a larger home
The original tower house at Lauriston Castle has been altered and adapted to create a larger home

looking ahead: find: Union of the crowns = peace ; reformation, change in moralities and expectations, resumption of domestic tower house building:; decoration and luxury; old towers adapted and extended; civil war; Scots baronial; walter Scott romanticisation; 19th C gothic revival; decline and restoration

Contents

[edit] East Lothian

Gatehouse and Drawbridge at Dirleton Castle
Gatehouse and Drawbridge at Dirleton Castle
Name Type Date Condition Ownership location Notes
Auldhame Castle tower house 16th C ruin Seacliff NT602847
Ballencrieff Castle tower house 1507, 1586 restored Ballencrieff NT487783
Barnes Castle uncompleted castle ruin Haddington
NT529766
Extensive castle planned, but never completed above the vaults.[10]
The Bass curtain wall & keep 16th C ruin open for visitors (via boat trip) Bass Rock
NT602873
later adapted for artillery; stone used to build lighthouse[11]
Black Castle site Cockburnspath
NT738707
some remains existed until c.1800[12]
Dirleton Castle fortress 13th C partly ruined Historic Scotland Dirleton
NT518840
Dunbar Castle ruin free access Dunbar
NT67894
Fa'side Castle tower house (altered keep) keep: 15th C restored 1970s Tranent
NT378710
also known as Fawside and Falside
Fenton Tower tower house 1587 ruin North Berwick
NT543822
Garleton Castle courtyard castle 16th C partially converted dwelling, with ruin private Haddington
NT509767
Hailes Castle keep & ranges keep: 14th C ruin Historic Scotland; free access East Linton
NT575758
ranges and towers 15th-16th C
Luffness Castle tower house 16th C altered private Aberlady
NT476804
castle on site from 13th C
Preston Tower keep 15th C ruin NTS; free access (exterior view) Prestonpans
NT393742
Two storeys added in 17th C. Currently in council-maintained grounds.[13]
Redhouse Tower courtyard castle 16th C ruin Aberlady
NT463770
Saltoun Castle Elizabethan house 16th C occupied private Pencaitland
NT461685
building incorporates remnants of 12th C castle[14]
Stoneypath Tower tower house 16th C restored Nunraw Abbey
NT596713
Tantallon Castle courtyard castle 14th C ruin Historic Scotland North Berwick
NT596851
Whittingehame keep 15th C occupied Balfour family; private East Linton
NT602733
Yester Castle castle & keep 13th C ruin private Gifford
NT556667
also known as the Goblin Ha'

[edit] City of Edinburgh

Name Type Date Condition Ownership location Notes
Craigmillar Castle keep & later ranges 14th C ruin Historic Scotland NT288709 towers and curtain wall added 15th C; walled courtyard 16th C [15]
Craiglockhart Castle tower house 13th C ruin NT226703
Dundas Castle keep 15th C ruin private NT116767
Edinburgh Castle fortress 15th C complete Historic Scotland Edinburgh NT252735 site of various castle since before 10th C[16]
Lauriston Castle tower house 16th C altered; occupied private ownership; open regularly NT204762
Liberton Tower tower house 17th C occupied private ownership; open by appt. NT267694
Merchiston Castle keep 15th C altered Napier University NT243717

[edit] Scottish Borders

Name Type Date Condition Ownership location Notes
Branxholme Castle
Cessford Castle
Cranshaws Tower
Dryhope Tower
Duns Castle
Edrington Castle
Fast Castle courtyard castle ruin Hall family
open: free
Coldingham
Fatlips Castle
Ferniehirst Castle
Floors Castle house 1721 occupied Duke of Roxburghe Kelso ruins of Roxburgh castle in the grounds
Fulton Tower
Greenknowe Tower
Hume Castle Greenlaw
Hermitage Castle keep ruin Historic Scotland Newcastleton
Jedburgh Castle demolished 1409 Jedburgh
Kirkhope Tower
Mervinslaw Pele pele tower ruin
Neidpath Castle keep 14th C private ownership; open regularly Peebles NT236405 Extensively remodelled in 16th C[17]
Newark Castle
Nisbet House
Roxburgh Castle
Smailholm Tower Historic Scotland
Thirlestane Castle
Traquair House fortified house occupied private ownership; open regularly
Venlaw
Wedderburn Castle
Whitslaid Tower

[edit] West Lothian

Name Type Date Condition Ownership location Notes
Duntarvie Castle tower house 16th C undergoing restoration private South Queensferry
NT091765
House of the Binns castellated house 17th C complete National Trust for Scotland Linlithgow
NT051785
Stands on the site of an earlier castle [18]
Linlithgow Palace courtyard palace 15th C ruin Historic Scotland Linlithgow NT003774 built on site of 12th C castle[19]
Niddry Castle keep 15th C restored & occupied private Broxburn
NT097743

[edit] Midlothian

Name Type Date Condition Ownership location Notes
Borthwick Castle tower house 1430 complete private hotel Gorebridge NT370597
Crichton Castle courtyard castle 14th C ruin Historic Scotland Gorebridge NT380612
Dalhousie Castle tower house 16th C altered private hotel Dalhousie NT320636 incororates remains of 13th C castle[20]
Dalkeith Castle mansion 18th C complete private ownership; ground open regularly Dalkeith NT333679 incorporates reamins of 12th C castle[21]
Hawthornden Castle tower house 17th C complete private Loanhead NT287637 inorporates ruined 15th C keep[22]
Melville Castle castellated mansion 18th C restored private hotel Dalkeith NT310669 built on site of earlier castle[23]
Newbattle Castle fortified house 17th C altered College of Education Dalkeith NT333660 also known as Newbattle Abbey; incorporates remains of abbey
Roslin Castle keep & ranges 14th C partly complete Earl of Rosslyn; Landmark Trust- managed holiday accommodation Roslin NT274628 ranges date from 15th-16th C[24]

[edit] References

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b c Morris, p. 186
  2. ^ a b Morris, p. 184
  3. ^ Morris, p. 187
  4. ^ Morris, pp. 188-9
  5. ^ Morris, p. 190
  6. ^ Morris, pp.197, 200
  7. ^ Morris, p. 200
  8. ^ Morris, pp. 213–4
  9. ^ Morris, p. 214
  10. ^ Coventry, p. 79
  11. ^ Coventry, p. 82
  12. ^ Coventry, p. 89
  13. ^ Coventry, p. 356
  14. ^ Coventry, p. 372
  15. ^ Coventry p. 155
  16. ^ Coventry, p. 202
  17. ^ Coventry, p. 329
  18. ^ Coventry, p. 392
  19. ^ Coventry, p. 295
  20. ^ Coventry, p. 165
  21. ^ Coventry, p. 166
  22. ^ Coventry, p. 244
  23. ^ Coventry, p. 316
  24. ^ Coventry, p. 367

[edit] Bibliography

  • Coventry, Martin (2001) The Castles of Scotland, 3rd Ed. Scotland: Goblinshead ISBN 1899874267
  • Morris, Marc (2003) Castle: A History of the Buildings that Shaped Medieval Britain, London: Pan MacMillan ISBN 0752215361