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Field Visit
Date 18 June 1927
Event ID 1098996
Category Recording
Type Field Visit
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1098996
Randerston.
The farmhouse of Randerston, lying three-quarters of a mile north of Crail, was built in the latter part of the 16th century, superseding "the castle of Randelston," mentioned in 1528 (1), which stood on the shore rather more than half a mile eastward. It is a laird's house of modest dimensions with a vaulted ground floor, two upper floors, and a garret. The plan is a variant of the L-plan, the wing not being in alignment with, but in advance of, the gable of the main block and thus forming two re-entrant angles. In the western re-entrant is the stair-tower. It is circled below and provided with gunloops to protect the original entrance, which was situated at the stair-foot but is corbelled out to rectangular form in the upper part, where there is a little chamber. The lower part of the southern gable and of the stair-tower are masked by a modern addition. Turrets are corbelled out on two angles of the building; the upper part of each has been removed, and the main roofs oversail them. The masonry is of haded rubble with exposed dressings. The gables are crow-stepped. On the ground floor of the wing there is a vaulted chamber, which was entered at the stair-foot. The main block contains two vaulted chambers, the smaller having a passage on one Side, which also opened to the stair-foot, and including a service stair which gives ·direct access to the chamber above. The upper floors have been modernised. The lintel of the garden entrance is inscribed M.B. M.H. 1678.
HISTORICAL NOTE. - In 1429 James I granted to Thomas de Myrtoun, dean of Glasgow, for his good services, the lands of "Randalstoun" and Ladylands in the constabulary of Crail, which Sir John Sibbald (of Balcomie) had resigned (2). The lands remained with Myrtouns (Mortouns) till the first quarter of the 17th century (3), when they were purchased by a brother of Moncrieffe, laird of Balcaskie. From his heirs the property, including the "tower, fortalice and manor-place," was bought in 1663 by Michael Balfour of Pitmedden (4), second son of Balfour of Denmiln (5), with whose descendants it continued.
RCAHMS 1933, visited 18 June 1927.
(1) Register of the Collegiate Church of Crail, No. 95. (2) Reg. Mag. Sig., s.a., No. 130. (3) See Reg. Coll. Church of Crail, p. 49. (4) Reg. Mag. Sig., s.a., No. 505. (5) Lamont's Diary, p. 167.
