Archaeology Notes

Event ID 708857

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/708857

NS97SE 21 9558 7115.

(NS 9558 7115) Couston Castle (NR) (remains of)

OS 6" map (1968)

The fragmentary remains of Couston Castle, of 17th century date, stand in the garden of the E side of North Couston farm-house. The building has been L-shaped on plan, the main block, 54' 4" x 25', running E-W, with the wing, which contained the newel stair, projecting on the NW. The masonry is rubble. At basement level there were two chambers in the main block. The smaller, at the E end, has been a vaulted cellar, the larger was the kitchen, but no trace of the vault, if such existed, remains. No details can be given of the upper floors, the remains are very dilapidated.

Bell suggests a 15th century date for this castle, and notes some remains of a turret on one corner.

RCAHMS 1929, visited 1926; J M Bell 1893

All that remains is part of the W wall. Its date could not be ascertained.

Visited by OS (JLD) 19 November 1952 and (JP) 9 August 1974

Fragmentary remains of 17th century house. L-plan. Random rubble; very dilapidated. Roofless. Interior: Semi-circular fireplace-arch at W end.

SDD List 1964

NS 9558 7115 A watching brief was carried out in January 2006 during the demolition of the ruined and fragmentary remains of North Couston Castle as a condition of planning consent. The castle is thought to have been built between the 15th and 17th centuries. No previously unrecorded features were identified, but a piece of late medieval Redware was found in the mortar, giving a terminus post quem for that part of the building.

Archive and report to be deposited in NMRS. Report lodged with WoSAS SMR.

Sponsor: Mr T Hamilton and Sons.

Andrew Dutton, 2006.