Archaeology Notes

Event ID 830683

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/830683

NT17NW 6.00 11835 76714

(NT 1178 7671) Tower (NR)

OS 6" map (1968)

NT17NW 6.01 1166 7683 Works; Stables (Possible)

NT17NW 6.02 11853 76024 Boathouse

NT17NW 6.03 11875 76697 Fountain and Sundial

NT17NW 6.04 11240 76978 Castle Grove

NT17NW 6.05 11177 76987 Brown Acre

NT17NW 6.06 11171 76988 Lilac Cottage

NT17NW 6.07 11164 76989 Rose Acre

NT17NW 6 and NT17NW 08 11159 76990 Dundas Main

NT17NW 6.09 11728 76836 Blue Acre

NT17NW 6.10 12559 75676 South Lodge

NT17NW 6.11 12041 75829 Dundas Loch Bridge

NT17NW 6.12 11792 76707 Dundas Castle Keep

NT17NW 6.13 11801 76669 Stable Court

See also:

NT17NW 7 1161 7678 Chapel Acre

NT17NW 22 11482 76768 Dovecot

NT17NW 51 12896 77004 North gate-lodge

NT17NW 52 11543 76346 Icehouse

NT17NW 53 11461 76400 Walled garden

NT17NW 54 11332 76439 Castleloch

NT17NW 55 1162 7672 Chapel Acre, house

Dundas Castle: Adjoining the offices of the mansion built in 1818 is a 4-storeyed, L-shaped tower, built c. 1416 to which a second wing was added c.1424, projecting from the NW angle.

The rubble walls of the tower are surmounted by a 16th century crenellated parapet. The tower is in a good state of repair, though much altered internally, having been at one time converted into a distillery.

The lands were in the possession of the Dundas family from c. 1120 until 1875, when the estate was sold to James Russell. The castle was beseiged in 1449, and is said to have been visited by both Charles II and Oliver Cromwell in 1651, though it does not seem to have been involved in the hostilities at that time.

RCAHMS 1929, visited 1926

This tower is as described and is in a good state of repair.

Visited by OS (BS) 14 August 1974

NT 1178 7671. Two service trenches on the E and SW sides of the tower house were excavated by Headland Archaeology Ltd as part of the current refurbishment programme. Bedrock was encountered close to the surface in the E trench, its surface partially modified during the construction of the tower house. A series of features, most probably associated with the brewery phase of the building's use in the early 19th century and the construction of the modern mansion, were also revealed. No evidence for later medieval or post-medieval activity on the site was traced during the course of this work. A previously unrecorded inscription, probably 16th century in date, was also located during the course of this work, built into a nearby wall. An archive report has been deposited with the NMRS (MS/899/7)

Sponsor: Dundas Castle Estate.

C E Lowe 1996

Scheduled with NT17NW 6.03 and NT17NW 22 as Old Dundas Castle, castle, sundial and dovecot.

Information from Historic Scotland, scheduling document dated 3 March 1999.