Accessibility

Font Size

100% 150% 200%

Background Colour

Default Contrast
Close Reset

Archaeology Notes

Event ID 700914

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/700914

NS37SW 1.00 32813 74520

(NS 32817451) Newark Castle (NR)

OS 6" map (1970).

NS37SW 1.01 NS 3284 7452 Tower

The buildings that form Newark Castle stand on three sides of a square, the S side being formerly enclosed by a curtain wall. They date from three periods. The original is the simple square keep at the S end of the E wing, of 15th century date. Next comes the gatehouse block probably mid 16th century, forming the W wing. The remainder, the main or N block, is dated 1597-9. The keep stands four storeys high; its windows have been largely altered. The gatehouse portion is three storeyed, with a gabled roof. A large arched gateway to a vaulted pend leads to the courtyard. The main block consists of a projecting centre and two wings; there are angle-turrets on all the external angles and a semicircular stair-turret in the centre of the N front. There are various types of gunloops in the rubble walls.

G W Browne 1882; D MacGibbon and T Ross 1887; J S Fleming 1903; N Tranter 1965; H Fenwick 1976

Newark Castle is generally as described; it is in excellent condition.

Visited by OS (JD) 25 July 1955.

NS 3281 7451 A watching brief was maintained during the excavation of material in the fireplace within the Custodian's Office. The exposed surfaces were drawn and photographed, although no finds or early (non post-medieval) archaeological features were recorded.

At a later date, observations were made of a trench excavated within the castle, against the S wall of the N range, from which bones had been reported. It was discovered that the animal bones and china which had been found were from within a sand deposit used as levelling material for a recent concrete floor. The S wall of this block lay directly on top of bedrock in places.

Sponsor: Historic Scotland

A Radley and D Murray 1998.

People and Organisations

References