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Field Visit
Date 17 June 1925
Event ID 1098493
Category Recording
Type Field Visit
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1098493
Creich Castle.
Beside Creich farm-house, which is 230 yards south-east of the old parish church, is the ruin of a large tower house. Apparently it was enclosed by a courtyard, for, some 20 yards to the west, are the remains of a small rubble-built tower such as is found at gateways and less frequently on barmkins.
The tower itself is founded on an outcrop of rock and is built of whin-and-boulder rubble with freestone dressings. On plan the building is L-shaped with a rectangular stair-tower projecting within the re-entrant angle, which opens to the south. The main block, 39 feet 2 inches by 27 feet 8 inches, lies to the north, while the wing, some 20 feet square, projects southward in alignment with the eastern gable. The only features of interest are the heavy and elaborate cornice at the re-entrant angle, to carry a parapet-walk and the remains of corbelled turrets at the southern angles. There have been three storeys in the main block and four in the wing, all served by a continuous newel-stair. The entrance is at the stair-foot and has been rebuilt. The ground floor of the main block contained two vaulted compartments, and there was a third vaulted compartment within the wing. The upper floors are inaccessible. The fabric is in bad repair.
DOVECOT. In the farm steading there is a double-chambered rectangular dovecot dated 1723.
HISTORICAL NOTE. The lands of Creich were sold in 1502 by John Liddall of Creich to David Betoun, son of John Betoun of Balfour (1). A confirming charter of 1553 to Robert Betoun of Creich specifies the lands as "with tower, fortalice , and manor" (2). All the characteristics of the present structure, however, suggest for the time of its erection a date rather later than the first half of the 16th century.
RCAHMS 1933, visited 17 June 1925.
(1) Reg. Mag. Sig., s.a., No. 2672. (2) Ibid., s.a., No. 832.
