Archaeology Notes

Event ID 727560

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/727560

NX85NW 6 81696 55126

(NX 8171 5512) Orchardton Tower (NR) (Remains of)

(Undated) annotation on OS map.

For Old Orchardton or Orchardton Mains (adjacent to N, at NX 81647 55183), see NX85NW 65.

A free-standing tower almost uniquely circular in plan, though in other respects closely resembling the arrangements to be found in the smaller castles of the 15th century. It is a small rubble-built structure, four storeys in height, the wall-head being crowned by a parapet and walk, and a small gabled cape-house. It is now roofless.

The remains of a curtain wall, now reduced to turf-covered mounds, lie to the south, east and west of the tower. The remains of secondary buildings with vaulted basements lie to the south.

The lands of Orchardton belonged to the Cairns family, and John Cairns erected a residence on them in the middle of the 15th century.

Finds made during the excavation of Orchardton Tower by the MOPBW were given to National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland (NMAS) in 1922 and include a Crossraguel penny (late 15th century) and 16th - 18th century coins.

RCAHMS 1914, visited 1911; Proc Soc Antiq Scot 1923; N Tranter 1965.

The tower and associated structures are as described above. The curtain wall and further secondary buildings have been unearthed and restored.

Revised at 25". ('Earthworks only')

Visited by OS (RD) 30 July 1969

Scheduled as 'Orchardton Tower... the remains of the late 15th century circular tower house... surviving as earthworks, substantial stone structures and as buried archaeology...'

Information from Historic Scotland, scheduling document dated 19 December 2002.