Bo'ness, Carriden, Burnfoot House

Burnfoot House lies on the shore of the Forth to the east of the Carriden Burn. It appears to have consisted of main block of five uneven bays with a wing attached to the west. Although the house is in a ruinous state most of the north wall and parts of the east and west gables survive. An early 20th century photograph in the possession of Dr Blackbourn, the owner, shows a white harled two storey house with a Scotch slate roof. With the harling lost a number of blocked openings are now visible suggesting an earlier arrangement with two storeys and a garret of a 17th century date. All the visible openings have chamfered arrises. There is evidence of a substantial wing to the west of the main block but this was difficult to see at the time of the visit.

There is evidence of the remains of various outbuildings and possible fishponds. To the east next to the north or sea gate to Carriden House a memorial plaque to Colonel James Gardiner (1688-1745) is set into the wall. Burnfoot House is recorded as the birthplace of Gardener who was injured during the Battle of Ramillies and later killed at the Battle of Prestonpans.

Information from RCAHMS (STG), 2005

A broad strip of woodland extends along the coast is part of the Carriden House estate seen in the 1st edition OS map and on 1988 aerial photographs. C279 109-110 7/6/88.

Site recorded by GUARD during the Coastal Assessment Survey for Historic Scotland, 'The Firth of Forth from Dunbar to the Coast of Fife' 1996.

NT08SW 142 02406 81024

Burnfoot is the birth-place of Colonel James Gardiner, 1688-1745. Information from RCAHMS (KD), August 2002.