Archaeology Notes

Event ID 728293

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/728293

NX96NE 2.00 97990 68033 Kirkconnel House

NX96NE 2.01 97911 68010 Stables

NX96NE 2.02 97918 68107 Gatepiers

(NX 9798 6802) Tower (NR)

OS 6" map (1971)

Kirkconnell House is a rambling structure dating from various periods; its nucleus is a four-storeyed tower on the L-plan, which occupies the S end of the existing buildings. Its walls are 6 ft thick.

The vaulted basement is lit by small, unusual, crosslet shot-holes. Truckell states that the tower was built in the late 15th century, while other authorities give a 16th century date. Maxwell-Irving considers that the tower was almost certainly built as a plain, rectangular keep, probably in the third quarter of the 16th century, the stair wing being added in the 17th century.

It is still inhabited; the adjoining extensions were probably made in the mid-18th century. The estate was held by the de Kirkconnel family some time before the 1320's (see NX96NE 20); it came into the hands of the Maxwells in the early 15th century.

RCAHMS 1914, visited 1911; N Tranter 1965; A E Truckell and J Williams 1967; A M T Maxwell-Irving 1974; D MacGibbon and T Ross 1892

This tower, in excellent repair, was generally as described by the previous authorities when visited in 1964.

Visited by OS (WDJ) 8 July 1964.