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Creich Castle
Tower House (Medieval)
Site Name Creich Castle
Classification Tower House (Medieval)
Canmore ID 31811
Site Number NO32SW 2
NGR NO 32862 21265
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/31811
- Council Fife
- Parish Creich (North East Fife)
- Former Region Fife
- Former District North East Fife
- Former County Fife
NO32SW 2.00 32862 21265
(NO 3286 2126) Creich Castle (NR)
OS 6" map (1959).
NO32SW 2.01 NO 32798 21289 Dovecot
NO32SW 2.02 NO 32832 21259 Gate Tower
The remains of Creich Castle, a tower-house, apparently were enclosed by a courtyard for, some 20 yards to the west, are the remains of a small tower such as is found at gateways and less frequently on barmkins. The tower-house is L-shaped, the main block measuring 39ft 2ins by 27ft 8ins, with a wing projecting to the south, some 20ft square. Originally three and four storeyed respectively, the upper floors are now inaccessible and the fabric is in bad repair.
'All the characteristics of the structure...suggest a date rather later than the first half of the 16th century' although the 'tower, fortalice and manor' are recorded in a charter of 1553. Creich Castle is also recorded in the 13th century. In the farm-steading there is a double-chambered rectangular dovecot, dated 1723.
D MacGibbon and T Ross 1889; RCAHMS 1933, visited 1925.
Creich Castle is as described above. The small round tower, at NO 3283 2125, has a modern sloping roof. The dovecot, as described, is at NO 3279 2129. In the garden, at NO 3286 2122, is a well which has been partly filled in,and covered over.
Visited by OS (JLD), 31 October 1956.
No change.
Visited by OS (RD), 27 May 1970.
Field Visit (17 June 1925)
Creich Castle.
Beside Creich farm-house, which is 230 yards south-east of the old parish church, is the ruin of a large tower house. Apparently it was enclosed by a courtyard, for, some 20 yards to the west, are the remains of a small rubble-built tower such as is found at gateways and less frequently on barmkins.
The tower itself is founded on an outcrop of rock and is built of whin-and-boulder rubble with freestone dressings. On plan the building is L-shaped with a rectangular stair-tower projecting within the re-entrant angle, which opens to the south. The main block, 39 feet 2 inches by 27 feet 8 inches, lies to the north, while the wing, some 20 feet square, projects southward in alignment with the eastern gable. The only features of interest are the heavy and elaborate cornice at the re-entrant angle, to carry a parapet-walk and the remains of corbelled turrets at the southern angles. There have been three storeys in the main block and four in the wing, all served by a continuous newel-stair. The entrance is at the stair-foot and has been rebuilt. The ground floor of the main block contained two vaulted compartments, and there was a third vaulted compartment within the wing. The upper floors are inaccessible. The fabric is in bad repair.
DOVECOT. In the farm steading there is a double-chambered rectangular dovecot dated 1723.
HISTORICAL NOTE. The lands of Creich were sold in 1502 by John Liddall of Creich to David Betoun, son of John Betoun of Balfour (1). A confirming charter of 1553 to Robert Betoun of Creich specifies the lands as "with tower, fortalice , and manor" (2). All the characteristics of the present structure, however, suggest for the time of its erection a date rather later than the first half of the 16th century.
RCAHMS 1933, visited 17 June 1925.
(1) Reg. Mag. Sig., s.a., No. 2672. (2) Ibid., s.a., No. 832.
