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Archaeology Notes

Event ID 729684

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/729684

NY27SW 7.00 24793 71636

(NY 247716) Robgill Tower (NR) (Site of)

OS 6" map (1957).

NY27SW 7.01 NY 2481 7170 Well

NY27SW 7.02 NY 24722 71603 Stable Block

NY27SW 7.03 NY 24704 71532 Walled Garden

NY27SW 7.04 NY 24695 71389 Lodge

(Tower-house of the Fourth Period). The tower-houses of Bonshaw (NY27SW 6.00), Robgill and Wardhouse/Woodhouse (NY27SE 5) are all situated in the same locality, and within one mile of each other, being in the parish of Annan and from four to five miles distant from the town of that name. They stand in a singularly beautiful valley, through which runs the Kirtle Water. Of the three towers, only Bonshaw is anything like perfect, the other two having had very rough usage. They have all evidently been built about the same time and have many points of resemblance to each other. They are within a few feet of the same size, the average dimensions being about 34 ft (10.4m) by 25 ft (7.6m). Bonshaw is slightly the largest. Bonshaw and Robgill have each a splayed base, and the entrance doorway and staircase are alike in both. The mode in which Robgill was finished at the top cannot now be positively ascertained, but the other two towers were almost identical in the corbelling and parapet, and both have splayed shot-holes and the same small high window on the ground floor. In each case the ground floor only is vaulted.

RobgillTower is situated about three-quarters of a mile down the Kirtle Water from Bonshaw, and has a somewhat similar situation on the edge of a cliff about 40 ft (12.2m) high. The tower remained intact until about ten years ago, when it was wilfully pulled down to the level of the hall floor in order to allow of a dining room connected with the adjoining modern house being built over the ancient basemenbt floor. The kitchen was on the ground floor, where the fine arched fireplace still survives. The arch is rounded on the edge and projects some inches from the line of the wall.

D MacGibbon and T Ross 1887-92.

Originally 34 ft x 24 ft with walls 5 ft thick. In 1912 the only remains were the vaulted basement incorporated into the modern mansion of the same name and used as the kitchen. The tower was burnt by Wharton in 1544.

RCAHMS 1920

RCAHMS confirmed. No part of the remains is visible externally.

Visited by OS (RD) 13 October 1967

Previous field report confirmed.

Visited by OS (IA) 21 February 1973.

Robgill

Tower

and remains of Tower [NAT]

OS (GIS) MasterMap, July 2009.

People and Organisations

References