Pricing Change
New pricing for orders of material from this site will come into place shortly. Charges for supply of digital images, digitisation on demand, prints and licensing will be altered.
Archaeology Notes
Date 14 May 1982
Event ID 707430
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type Archaeology Notes
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/707430
NS92NE 2 95107 28773
(NS 9510 2877) Bower of Wandel (NR) (remains of)
OS 6" map (1962)
The remains of the Bower of Wandel stand on a rocky promontory projecting into the River Clyde. The walls, strongly cemented together, are about 4 ft thick and stand 3 ft high (Name Book 1860, 44). Though traditionally said to be a hunting lodge of James V, this is rather doubtful (Irving and Murray 1864, 219).
The ruined walls of this tower survive to an average height of 2.0m. The outer facings of the walls have been much robbed and average about 2.0m thick. The springing of a vault on the internal NW wall is clearly visible and the bases of three internal-splayed windows survive. A gap in the walling on the SE may indicate a former entrance.
The tower stands in a good defensive position, a former water course scarping the slopes of the existing river-loop. On the approach side (NE), disturbed ground precludes the identification of possible outworks. In plan, masonry and architectural description, this structure is best comparable with a 15th - 16th century tower.
Visited by OS (WW) 22 June 1955 (photos)
Wandel parish seems to have been divided into two portions from an early period. The smaller, known as 'Quendal', belonged to the see of Glasgow about 1116. It is doubtful whether the see of Glasgow would have established a caput within this area but the family who took their name from Hartside (the farm on which this feature is located) may well have resided at the site now known as the 'Bower of Wandel'. Tradition associates the site with James V and it is possible that the ruined walls that survive belong to the later medieval period. Nonetheless, this rocky promontory could well have been occupied by timber structures prior to this time. Possible site of timber motte.
Source: C Tabraham 1978
Photographed by the RCAHMS in 1980. (Catalogue p24).
Information from OS (IF) 14 May 1982
