Auchterarder Castle
Castle (Medieval)
Site Name Auchterarder Castle
Classification Castle (Medieval)
Canmore ID 26102
Site Number NN91SW 5
NGR NN 9434 1334
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/26102
- Council Perth And Kinross
- Parish Auchterarder
- Former Region Tayside
- Former District Perth And Kinross
- Former County Perthshire
NN91SW 5 9434 1334.
(Name NN 9434 1334) Auchterarder Castle (NR) (Remains of)
OS 6" map, (1959)
Said to be a hunting seat of King Malcolm Kenmore (1057-1093) and to have been visited by Edward I in 1296. The castle was surrounded by a moat traces of which were still visible in 1899, when part of the donjon keep also remained. Presumably this was the 'remnant of wall' in the farm yard of Castle Mains mentioned in the ONB (1863). Stones from the castle have been used in neighbouring buildings.
OSA 1792; Name Book 1863; A G Reid 1899.
Part of the west and south walls, the former 5.5m high, of the keep are all that remain of Auchterarder Castle and are incoporated in a modern farm outbuilding. The published and only remains of the moat (south section) have been largely destroyed by landscaping.
Visited by OS (R D) 27 July 1967.
A substantial, later 19th century Scots Baronial-style farmhouse (incorporating an earlier 19th century farmhouse) and a detached castellated building (incorporating some fabric of Auchterarder Castle), located to the north side of Auchterarder. The buildings occupy the site of the medieval Auchterarder Castle (demolished). The farmhouse and the associated castellated building are partly surrounded by 21st century housing development (2019).
The castellated building (Auchterarder Castle) is a single-storey, square-plan structure to the west of farmhouse. It is likely located on the site of Auchterarder Castle and includes a thick fragment of rubble wall that projects at the southwest corner which is thought to belong to the earlier castle.
The thinner walls incorporate a moulded arch doorway, two moulded arch windows, a vertical keyhole gunloop, and stone corbels at the roof line. A rubble fore-stair to the southeast side provides access to a roof-top viewing platform with metal handrail. The interior (seen 2018) is a single room with no fittings or fixtures. There are exposed metal supporting straps on the underside of the (concrete or cement) roof and at some of the openings. Remnants of a timber door frame and timber window frames survive (2019).
A worn stone fragment depicting a warrior and chariot (of unknown origin but thought to be 17th century) was set into the wall at the top of the viewing platform stair (Ross, 1902). The stone was not seen during the visits in 2018 and 2019. (Historic Environment Scotland List Entry)
Archaeological Evaluation (2 June 2010 - 3 June 2010)
NN 9460 1339 An evaluation was carried out 2–3 June 2010 in relation to a proposed residential development. The area was considered sensitive due to its proximity to Auchterarder Castle (NN91SW 5). No significant archaeological deposits were recorded and all finds related to 19th- or 20th-century use of the site. The cropmark features which had been identified on aerial photographs appear to have been removed by successive deep ploughing.
Archive: RCAHMS. Report: Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust
Funder: Muir Homes
Watching Brief (18 March 2014 - 21 March 2014)
Alder Archaeology was commissioned by Scottish and Southern Energy to undertake an archaeological watching brief on the ground breaking works for the installation of a high voltage cable around the north side of Castle Mains Farm, which is located on the site of the medieval Auchterarder Castle. The watching brief was requested by Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust in response to the archaeological implications of ground works for the laying of the cable through this site. The cable trench also crossed a possible ditch or moat feature on the E side of Castle Mains. It is considered that the ditch feature, as identified by aerial photography, may have predated the castle. Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust had identified a zone of archaeological sensitivity that was centred on NGR NN 9438 1340 which extended over the site of Castle Mains and included the ditch feature. The development was linear in nature and comprised the excavation of a narrow cable trench, running through fields and a yard around the N side of Castle Mains The work (Alder site code AA 13) was undertaken during the period 18th -21st March in variable very wet, windy and dry weather conditions. Special attention was paid to the possibility of finding remains dating to the occupation of the medieval castle and the ditch feature. The watching brief recorded some large quarried angular stones, a group of small field boulders, that may have formed a wall, and the foundation remains of a 19th C agricultural building. An area of soft fill was encountered that could have possibly been the infilling of a ditch or moat feature and which contained some modern bones from a farm horse. No archaeological deposits were found that could specifically be identified as being the remains of a ditch or moat and also no remains were found that could be associated with any medieval activity relating to Auchterarder Castle.
Alder Archaeology Ltd. (R. Cachart) OASIS ID: alderarc1-185555
Watching Brief (25 March 2019 - 26 March 2019)
Archaeological monitoring works were carried out on the 25th and 26th of March 2019 in support of the insertion of a new gas main adjacent to the unnamed road running between Auchterarder Castle and the B862. The archaeological works were designed to mitigate any adverse impact on the archaeological remains within the development area. No archaeological features included any evidence of the moat and no materials were discovered along the monitored areas to the area northeast of Auchterarder Castle (SM 1634).
Information from Jack Portwood (Rathmell Archaeology) 5th April 2019
OASIS ID: rathmell1-348070
