Field Visit
Date 3 November 1908
Event ID 1088222
Category Recording
Type Field Visit
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1088222
47. Cockburnspath Tower.
The ruins of this tower stand on the high northern bank of a small stream on the east side of the Postroad to Berwick, about 1 mile to the south-east of Cockburnspath village. On plan the main portion of the buildings has been in the form of a rectangular keep situated at the north-west angle of the site, measuring some 21 feet by 18 feet within walls averaging 6 feet in thickness. The south-west wall remains to a height of only a few feet above the ground-level, and both the north-west and southeast walls are partially ruined. The north-east wall, however, remains to a height of fully 40 feet with the indications of an opening at each floor-level, arched on the interior and square-headed to the exterior. Fragmentary indications of a vaulted basement remain, access to which has been through an arched doorway in the northeast wall, now built up. On either side of this doorway the wall is strengthened by a broad buttress, some 16 feet high, projecting 2 feet at the ground and diminishing towards the top by a series of splayed intakes. The keep has been substantially built of rough rubble, the only break in the outer surfaces of the walls being a projecting string-course at the level of the second floor. The upper portions of the walls are in a very ruinous state, but it seems probable that there has been originally a fourth floor and a parapet walk for defensive purposes. Some 12 feet to the north-east of the tower is a comparatively modern wing of one storey containing two apartments and measuring some 44 feet by 19 feet over walls 2 feet in thickness. Another one-storeyed building, measuring about 70 feet by 18 feet within walls averaging 3 feet 6 inches in thickness, has enclosed a courtyard on the south-east side, and no doubt served as the offices or stables in connection with the castle. It consists of three vaulted apartments with narrow loopholes formed in the north-east and south. west walls. The ruined doorway, which gave access to the north-east most apartment from the courtyard, has been a good example of the 17th-century style. The outer jambs consisted of bold, half-round mouldings continued round the semicircular archhead, and enriched at regular intervals by projecting keystone blocks of similar section. This doorway has unfortunately been completely destroyed, and only a few detached fragments now lie scattered on the site.
See Cast. and Dam. Arch., iii. p. 220 (plan and illus.); Grose's Antiquities, i. p. 93 (illus.); Carr's Coldingham, p. 105 (illus.)
RCAHMS 1915, visited 3 November 1908.
OS Map: Ber., i. SE.
