Archaeology Notes

Event ID 723279

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/723279

NX15NE 9 18814 57126

(NX 1881 5712) Castle of Park formerly Park Hay (NR)

OS 6" map (1957)

An L-plan castle, four storeys and a garret in height to which a two-storey wing on the SE and a one storey wing on the NE have been added, probably in the 18th century.

According to an inscribed panel over the doorway, the castle was built by Thomas Hay of Park in 1590. The ground surrounding it consists of a level plateau of considerable extent, which has originally been laid out in parks or gardens. Traces of a walled garden still exist to the south of the castle, while to the east, in a stone wall, is a gateway with square pillars which probably led into another garden.

RCAHMS 1912

This castle is as described and planned by RCAHMS. Only the L-plan building built in 1590, now remains, the later addition being completely removed by MoW in 1951.

There is now no trace of any garden or of the stone wall with square pillared gateway. Known locally as 'Castle of Park.'

Visited by OS (WDJ) 5 March 1968

This well preserved L-plan tower of 1590, recently restored, is prominently situated overlooking the valley of the Water of Luce. It rises four storeys and a garret in height, and has a slated roof with crowstepped gables and plain coped chimney-stacks. The wing (roofed independently of the main block) contains a turnpike stair which is corbelled out over re-entrant at third floor level. The entrance-door way has a richly moulded surround and an inscribed lintel of 1590 commemorating Thomas Hay of Park and Janet MacDowel, his wife, together with a framed armorial panel above. The ground floor is subdivided into two barrel vaulted compartments and a kitchen, with a service corridor on the E. The first floor hall was served by a mural chamber on its N side, and a private stair in the NNE angle led to the floors above. A deeply splayed window in the N wall provided additional light to the interior. In the 18th century wings were added to the NE and SE sides of the tower respectively; these have now been removed. At the Reformation the estate of Park was acquired by Thomas Hay, Commendator of Glenluce Abbey; the tower was built for his son. The estate remained with the family until 1875.

RCAHMS 1987, visited April 1986.