Architecture Notes

Event ID 831300

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Architecture Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/831300

NT46NW 21.00 42659 67712

NT46NW 21.01 42528 67625 Cottages

NT46NW 21.02 42567 67666 Stables

NT46NW 21.03 42539 67635 Cottages

NT46NW 21.04 42535 67631 Cottages

NT46NW 21.05 42523 67621 Cottages

NT46NW 21.06 42515 67616 Cottages

NT46NW 11 4270 6765 Dovecots

NT46NW 48 42633 67642 Gatepiers

NT46NW 49 42476 67648 Well

NT46NW 50 42712 67609 Offices

(NT 42659 67712) Penkaet Castle (NAT)

OS 6" map (1970)

This is a small mansion of the late 16th century, prolonged in the early 17th century on the same scale and in the same materials. The earliest part is the W end; one room thick with a projecting stair-turret, it was probably built soon after 1685 (2 - sic; ? 1585 intended); the ridge chimney and crowsteps show where it once stopped. The turret was afterwards widened, filling in the small re-entrant angle to the W, with a corbel course above the first floor, then another storey and a dormered attic. In the E angle a round stair-turret is corbelled out over the entrance; its roof and the adjacent gable have been modified. The next principal stage of the building was the much lower range to the E, originally separate, with gables to N and S, and access to the dormered upper floors by an outside stair. This was the work of John Pringle, who bought the estate in 1635. His initials appear on one of the dormers with the date 1638. He subsequently continued the original building to join up with it, providing a round stair-turret at the back of the link and probably adding the pedimented dormers all round. He may have been responsible for the enhancement of the W end as well. In 1685 the the estate was bought by John Lauder of Newington, and the house, previously known as Woodhead, became the seat of the barony of Fountainhall. It is only in recent years that the name has been changed to Penkaet Castle (J Whitaker 1938).

The jougs attached to the S wall were formerly attached to the dovecot described on NT46NW 11.

Tranter (1962) suggests that the original house here may have been a small free-standing tower of earlier date than the 16th century. Adjoining the house on NW and E are extensive walled gardens with an early 17th century gateway.

C McWilliam 1978; RCAHMS 1924, visited 1920

Penkaet Castle is generally as described. The 17th century gateway is at NT 4269 6770.

Visited by OS (BS) 21 October 1975

NMRS REFERENCE:

Owner: Mr Cowe

Typescript History by A R Dufty c.1955

Deposited by A R Dufty, 1989.

EXTERNAL REFERENCES:

Scottish National Portrait Gallery:

National Art Survey - 12 sheets

Scottish National Portrait Gallery:

Country Life Dec. 2nd 1954 - article and photographs

National Library:

Small's 'Castles and Mansions of the Lothians' - article and photograph