Archaeology Notes

Event ID 715445

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/715445

(NT 3699 5973) Borthwick Castle (NR)

OS 6" map (1957)

NT35NE 1.01 Gate-house

NT35NE 1.02 Gateway

NT35NE 1.03 Gate piers

NMRS REFERENCE

Borthwick Castle, built about 1430, consists of a main block with two wings on the W, and remains substantially in its original state, despite minor modern restoration. It stands within an irregularly-shaped enceinte just over 1/2 acre in extent, originally enclosed by curtain walls, surmounted by a parapet-wall and strengthened in places by circled and salient towers. Grose in 1789, shows an oblong 17th century dovecot projecting from the SE angle of the enceinte. The entrance to the enclosure is modern, but is on the site of the original gateway.

There was a mote-hill on the site, called the mote of Lochorwart, before the present structure, and at the eastern base of the promontory on which it stands, there still remains an 8-10' wide ditch, with a low outer rampart. There is now no trace of the mote-hill, it was presumably levelled when the castle was erected.

RCAHMS 1929, visited 1920.

Borthwick Castle, an outstanding example of a 15th Century tower, is generally as described and planned. No trace of the dovecot survives.

The ditch and rampart at the eastern base of the promontory is now visible as a terrace averaging about 4.0m wide x 1.3m high.

Revised at 25".

Visited by OS (RD) 17 February 1970.