Archaeology Notes

Event ID 724032

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/724032

NW96SE 1 9735 6324

(NW 9735 6324) Galdenoch Castle (NR)

(Remains of)

OS 6" map (1957)

A tower said to have been built between 1547 and 1570. It has been a good example of the L-plan, but is now a ruin, with walls about 3'6" thick measuring to an average height of about 20', though the west wall is broken down to a height of 8' at one point. The castle is surrounded by farm buildings and the ground floor is used as a byre.

RCAHMS 1912.

Generally as described by RCAHMS although the castle survives to a height of about 35 feet and the west wall is entire. The east wall bears a plaque with the date 1547.

Visited by OS (RD) 21 February 1968

This 16th-century L-plan tower-house, built for Gilbert Agnew of Lochnaw, stands adjacent to Meikle Galdenoch farmhouse. It comprises three principal storeys and a garret, and has a vaulted ground floor (6.95m by 4.4m within walls 1.15m thick) and an entrance in the re-entrant angle. Although access to each floor is provided by a turnpike-stair rising within the wing, a mural stair gives independent access to one of two second-floor chambers. The tower is completed by crow-stepped gables, a corbelled round and a caphouse.

D MacGibbon and T Ross 1887-92; A Agnew 1893; W Macfarlane 1906-8; P H M'Kerlie 1906; RCAHMS 1912; RCAHMS 1985, visited June 1984.