Archaeology Notes

Event ID 701345

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/701345

NS36NE 17 centred 38338 65174

(NS 3833 6517) Ranfurly Castle (NR)

(remains of) (NAT)

OS 6" map (1968).

Not t be confused with Castle Hill, motte, Bridge of Weir (NS 38440 65060), for which see NS36NE 18.

Location formerly entered as NS 3833 6517.

Non-Guardianship Sites Plan Collection, DC28474.

(Undated) information in NMRS.

When described by Murdoch, the keep was standing three storeys high. There were arrowslits in the walls of the ground floor, while the main entrance was at first floor level. An E wing, the most modern part, was added (according to Murdoch) about 200 years later, and a S wing, "which provided, on the ground floor, three good vaults for cattle and stores, and probably as many rooms above for the family", was built at an indeterminate date (of Mearns Castle NS55NE 6).

T Murdoch 1885; R D McKenzie 1902.

Ranfurly Castle, a typical 15th/16th century tower, about 6.0m square, survives to a height of about 7.0m. The walls are of rough random rubble with quoins of dressed stone. In the E wall is a single slit window with a wide internal splay, and a door opening. The latter is carried up into the first storey and now appears as a narrow opening 5.0m with a rough voussoired arch-head. The absence of any trace of a ground floor arch-head probably indicates some adaptation of the tower when the other buildings were added. These buildings comprise a range of structures formed by rubble walling and probably only those E of the tower were roofed, the other appearing more like cattle pens. The whole structure appears to represent the incorporation of the tower into a steading or similar dwelling.

Visited by OS (WW), 28 July 1955

Previous field report confirmed.

Visited by OS (EGC), 3 July 1964.

Ranfurly Castle was built by the Knoxes about 1440.

W W Lyle 1975.

Scheduled as 'Ranfurly Castle, Bridge of Weir... the upstanding remains of... a 15th-century stone tower with later additions.'

Information from Historic Scotland, scheduling document dated 11 February 2011.

Castle Hill

Motte [NAT]

OS (GIS) MasterMap, March 2011.