Archaeology Notes

Event ID 726767

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/726767

NX56SE 5 58420 60419.

(NX 5842 6042) Rusko Castle (NR).

OS 6" map (1957)

Rusco Castle, or Rusko Castle, now semi-ruinous, probably dates from the early 16th century. It is a simple rectangular tower, three storeys and a garret high, measuring 38 1/2' by 29' over walls 6'-8' thick. There is a ruinous two storeyed addition to the N, dating probably from the 17th century, provided with a stair-tower projecting W. This addition measures 57' by 22' over walls which nowhere exceed 3' thick.

Rusco, which in early times belonged to the Carsnane family and was known as Glenskyreburn passed by marriage in the early 16th century to Sir Robert Gordon of Lochinvar. It was inhabited till about 1890.

RCAHMS 1914, visited 1911; N Tranter 1965

Rusko Castle (name confirmed) is as described.

Visited by OS (DWR) 24 February 1972

The pits associated with the four garderobe chutes of Rusko Castle were excavated in 1973. Most of the finds were of 19th century domestic rubbish with only a few examples of earlier material, suggesting that the pits had been thoroughly cleared out on several occasions.

L J Masters 1973

A minor excavation was carried out in August 1983 on a spur 50m ESE of the tower, revealing indications of a slight rectangular building measuring c.15 x 9m. Finds included roofing slate and fragments of window glass and pottery dateable to the mid-18th century.

Information from A Mack, 1 Redlands Rd, Glasgow, letter and excavation report, 9 May 1984 (MS/338).

Now restored and occupied.

N Tranter 1990