Archaeology Notes

Event ID 686913

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/686913

NO33SE 7 3630 3095

(Name: NO 3630 3095) Supposed Site of Castle (NR)

OS 6" map, Forfarshire, 2nd ed., (1926)

Invergowrie Castle, the alleged residence of King Alexander I, was located c. 650 yards N of Invergowrie House. About 1850, its foundations, studded with huge stones, appeared ablong in form, measuring 190' by 100' with a 20' diameter round tower at each corner. At some depth in front of the S side of this building, traces of a paved court were found with a large built cavity in the centre. evidently a well. Crawford equates this site with the alleged Roman camp of Catermillie (Catermilly), but see NO33SE 46.

J Stuart 1865; Information from excerpt of minute of RCAHMS meeting held in Dundee, 1910; A Elliott 1911; O G S Crawford 1949.

The site of this castle is on a raised rectangular area with rounded angles, measuring 57 x 32.0m, 1.2m high on the S and decreasing towards the N - possibly built up from the debris of the castle and planted. Within this is a sunken area measuring 34.0 by 10.0m with the suggestion of four angle towers as described by Stuart and Elliott.

Along the N side of this sunken area are indications of a wall, but the whole site has been quarried and used as a dump for field stones, rendering it difficult to form any plan. The allegations that this was the Roman camp of Catermilly can be readily dismissed.

Visited by OS (J L D) 18 August 1958.