Archaeology Notes

Event ID 702104

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/702104

NS56SE 46 5504 6164

NS56SW 31.00 54867 61850 Pollok House

Pollok has belonged to the Maxwell family since the later 13th century The present mansion (at NS 54867 61850) was finished in 1752, but a small portion of its 14th century predecessor and a fine 17th century gateway are incorporated in the stable block to the E.

R G Cant and I G Lindsay 1947; Information from revision Name Book 1934, 9.

Pollok House itself is not an antiquity, but the remains of its predecessor were located at NS 5504 6164 ('A'). This is simply a fragment of an old wall 3.0m in height and some 6.0m long, forming part of the rear wall of the stable block. The wall is composed of rough-dressed squared masonry, and in it is a small embrasured window. The 17th century gateway ('B') is at NS 5500 6166. This is of simple construction and is of no great interest. It forms a barrel-vault archway to the stable courtyard and has a cavity for a (?) portcullis. At NS 5500 6168 ('C'), in an old garden wall, is a recessed well-head which is now dry. It is uninscribed and undecorated, but appears old and may well be contemporary with the 17th century gateway.

To the SW, at NS 5494 6158, are the remains of a 17th century rectangular dovecot.

No further information was found during field investigation.

Visited by OS (J L D) 1 April 1954.

It seems that there were three castles of Nether Pollok built on the same site, the last being used as the dower house for a previous one until replaced by Haggs Castle (NS56SE 41) It then became the principal residence until it was in turn pulled down and replaced almost on the same site by Pollok House (the present mansion). An 18th century writer, visiting the last castle of Nether Pollok, says, "Upon an eminence near to this stood the old Castle of Pollok. . . where there are still the remains of a drawbridge and a fossy." (cf NS56SE 33 & 59). All traces of these castles have gone, although it is said that part of the last one can be seen in a garden wall of Pollok House.

P McDonald 1979.

NS 5500 6160 During cable-laying works at the southern end of the E range of the former stable block E of Pollok House, the sandstone capping of a well was broken. Glasgow Museums informed the Strathclyde Joint Archaeology Service, who carried out a recording visit. The well-shaft was not safely accessible, but was oval on plan and measured approximately 0.6m by 0.9m. It was dry when uncovered, and silted up to within 1.5m of the underside of the capstone, which was 0.15-0.2m thick and sealed by approximately 0.2m of modern make-up. The shaft was constructed of unbonded hand-made bricks and a lead pipe was let into the shaft from the N side, presumably a pump drawpipe for the building to the N. No well is marked on maps of the area from the 1st Edition OS (c1860) onwards. The well was recapped and the cable trench re-routed to the S of it.

Sponsor: Strathclyde Joint Archaeology Service.

Strathclyde Regional Council SMR 1995.