Archaeology Notes

Event ID 708116

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/708116

NS99SW 1 90658 91958

See also NS99SW 13.

(NS 9066 9196) Clackmannan Tower (NR)

OS 6" map, (1948).

Clackmannan Tower is situated in the summit of a prominent ridge known as King's Seat Hill. The summit has been levelled, and probably at a later period, an area of about an acre has been enclosed as a garden by a wall which has now disappeared. On the southern side are traces of a garden terrace, while a short wide platform lying immediately south of the house, was probably a bowling green. The tower stands at the eastern end of this site.

The oldest portion is the lower half of the north end which is part of an oblong tower dating probably from the late 14th century. A wing was added on the south side in the 15th century making the building L-shaped. This wing is five storeys high - one storey higher than the north tower which is surmounted by a cap-house.

Alterations were made during the 16th and 17th century, and the entrance was transferred from the west wall of the wing to the east in the 17th century.

De Cardonnel's view taken in 1788, represents the tower and the forecourt as standing on a mound, with a ditch in front; and slight traces of this ditch are still to be seen. The New Statistical Account (NSA 1845), stated that the tower was surrounded by a moat with drawbridge, while adjoining the tower stood the old mansion, the residence of the Bruce family from between 1365 and 1772.

RCAHMS 1933.

The tower is as described above. Some months ago, as a result of mine-workings, the foundations were affected by subsidence, and a collapse of part of the east side resulted. This is now being repaired by the MoW.

The remains of the moat in front of the tower can still be plainly seen. It is about 15.0m long, 2.0m wide and 1.0m deep.

Visited by OS (WMJ) 5 July 1950.

NS 9065 9195 A watching brief was maintained during the excavation of an electricity cable trench at Clackmannan Tower in December 1999. The trench, excavated by a small mechanical excavator, ran between an existing manhole immediately within the remains of a barmkin enclosure on the E side of the tower house. The trench was dug towards the E doorway and measured c 16m E-W, being up to 600mm deep.

Two sherds of reduced post-medieval pottery (jug and handle sherds) were found along with the base of a glass bottle. Initial assessment suggests that these finds date to the 17th century. The present ground level within the E barmkin enclosure is at the same level as the threshold in the E door, while to the S a long range of buildings both defines the S limits of the barmkin, and revets the barmkin terrace. The ground level to the S of this S range is significantly lower than that within the present barmkin.

The findings from the excavation suggest that the present barmkin is the result of landscaping of the natural hill summit, with dumping of material directly over the clean clay horizon. There was no sign of a cobbled surface extant within the barmkin, although a shallow spread of loose stones and small rubble fragments may represent a damaged surface.

Sponsor: Historic Scotland

G Ewart 2000.