Archaeology Notes
Event ID 718264
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type Archaeology Notes
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/718264
NT57SE 5.00 59753 70615
NT57SE 5.01 59768 70547 Sundial
NT57SE 5.02 5976 7061 Courtyard Buildings and Squash Court
NT57SE 5.03 59115 70597 North Lodge
NT57SE 58 59732 70687 Dovecot
NT57SE 113 59328 70023 Nunraw Abbey
(NT 59753 70615) Nunraw (NAT)
OS 6" map (1969)
Nunraw (NAT) on site of (NAT) Convent (NR)
OS 6" map (1957)
Nunraw is now a baronial mansion of 1860 incorporating a 16th century tower house. The older work consists of a long block running E-W, with square towers to NE and SW and round stair-turrets in the two NW angles. (The RCAHMS note the similar Z-plan layout of Hatton Castle - NJ74NE 2 - built in 1575.) Only the NE tower is externally unaltered. Everything S of this tower follows the 16th century building in outline, though all is refaced in ashlar with new mouldings. During internal alterations in 1864, a painted ceiling was revealed in one of the rooms. Most of it is still in situ, though two panels from it are now in the NMAS. From design details, at can be dated to post-1603.
C McWilliam 1978; RCAHMS 1924, visited 1919; N Tranter 1962
Nunraw has been described as 'the site of a settlement of Cistercian nuns'. In 1547/8 it is called a 'place and fortalice' which the prioress of Haddington undertakes to defend against the English. There is no evidence that it was the site of a nunnery.
I B Cowan and D E Easson 1976; G Donaldson 1952.