Archaeology Notes

Event ID 704283

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/704283

NS67SE 14.00 69187 70057.

(NS 6919 7005) Bedlay Castle (NR)

OS 6" map, (1967).

Bedlay House now known as Bedlay Castle (Information contained in letter from A Gibb to OS 27 July 1961, letter file CR 500) belongs to two periods, the eastern section, with a square stair-tower projecting to the north, dating from the last quarter of the 16th century, while the west end with its two round towers, was built about a hundred years later. The main house is two storeys and an attic in height, the northern square tower rising a storey higher and the western extension having a further garret storey in the roof. Many of the windows have been enlarged, and the dormer pediments are modern.

The original house was built by the 4th Lord Boyd of Kilmarnock, who acquired the lands after the Reformation. In 1642, it passed to the Robertsons who extended it. It is still occupied and in a good state of repair.

D MacGibbon and T Ross 1887-92; N Tranter 1962-70; Information from notice board at main entrance, the housekeeper and the lodge Gatekeeper.

The lands of Bedlay were passed to the Robertons as stated in McGibbon and Ross (1887), Salter (1993) and Tranter (1935). However, Tranter (1962-5) uses the name Robertson rather than Roberton.

Information supplied by a Mr Roberton would seem to confirm that the lands were passed to the descendants of a John Roberton, the 9th Laird of Earnock rather than the Robertson family.

Information from RCAHMS (DE), as per e-mail from M P Roberton, June 2005