Archaeology Notes

Event ID 705348

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/705348

(NS 7275 5596) Hamilton Palace (NAT)

OS 6" map (1914)

(NS 7264 5592) Hamilton Palace (NR) (site of)

OS 1/1250 map (1961)

NS75NW 16.01 NS 726 559 Garden

NS75NW 16.02 NS 72540 55885 Stable Court

Hamilton Palace, originally a tower about 20ft x 16ft, was almost entirely rebuilt at the beginning of the 18th century, and added to extensively in 1822. The earliest reference to a castle at Hamilton is in a charter of 1445, when James Hamilton was created first Lord Hamilton. His residence was then called 'The Orchard", and he either fortified it or erected a castle nearby in 1455. In the 16th century the house or castle was reconstructed and called the "Palace" Towards the end of the same century Hamilton Castle, as it was then named, was burnt down. In 1591 a new house was built, probably on the site of the older one. During the 17th and 18th centuries, when considerable reconstruction was carried out, it was called Hamilton House. About 1825, when extensive improvements were made, it again took the name of "Palace".

It was demolished in 1927.

H A Tipping 1919; Hamilton official guide

No trace of the original tower remains. The site of the Palace is now occupied by a refuse tip.

Visited by OS (JLD) 4 September 1953.