Architecture Notes

Event ID 819201

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Architecture Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/819201

EXTERNAL REFERENCE:

National Library of Scotland

Zetland (MS 3037) plate XI - 1 drawing and water colour

Uncatalogued MSS of General Hutton, Vol I, No 186 - 1 rough sketch dated 1792

In an MSS Journal of a 'Visit' in 1832 and of an 'Expedition' in 1834, to Shetland,

by Edward Charlton, M.D., D.C.L., and a member of the Newcastle Society of Antiquaries,

contained in the National Library of Scotland (Reference "MSS. 3037"), is a pencil sketch

by W. Cameron, of Mouness Castle.

According to Dr Charlton's story, this Castle was founded by a Scottish gentleman of the

name of Bruce, who, in difficulty because of the slaying of an adversary, was allowed to

settle, undisturbed, in Shetland. He bought land, and in the year 1508 completed the mansion

of Mouness. Now a ruin, it stands near the sea, and is 3 storeys in height, the principle walls

still remaining entire. It is surrounded by a few small 'hovels'. At two of the angles are round

towers rising from the ground, while at the two other angles are round corbelled turrets, in

the castellated style. The building stone in the local common chlorite slate, but the external

walls are faced with a fine freestone, probably from Orkney.

Above the dorrway, says the manuscript, is the following undefaced inscription upon a tablet

of fine freestone:-

"List ye to knaw, this building quha began

Lawrence the Bruce he was that worthy man

Quha arnestlie his ayris and afspring prayis

To help, and not to hurt this work alwayis"

Bound in the volume is a number of good water colour sketches of the scenery by T.M.Richardson,

one of Dr Charlton's companions evidently, while by Dr Charlton himself is in pencil a general

sketch of no great architectural interest of Lerwick from the sea, and a slight impression in pencil

of the Brough of Cullswick. This Brough, or strong point, says Dr Charlton, 2until within a few years

was more or less in a perfect state, until an avaricious proprietor demolished a large portion of it

for the sake of the materials, wherewith to erect a few paltry cottages, and the heavy gales of the

past winter have accelarated its destruction".

National Buildings Recors: Rough copy of the sketch of Mouness Castle by W.Cameron, attached to index

David Macgibbon and Thomas Ross, in "The Castellated and Domestic Architecture of Scotland"

give in Volume II the Ground, First and Second Floor Plans of this castle, which is actually situated

in the Island of Unst, near its SE extremity, and is the most Northerly edifice of its kind in these isles.

They give the spelling of the name as above, and it appears on some maps.

They accompany the plans with a somewhat hard pen and ink sketch, and with some sketches of

details.