Balglas, 'baron's Place'
House (Medieval) - (Post Medieval), Revetment (Medieval) - (Post Medieval)
Site Name Balglas, 'baron's Place'
Classification House (Medieval) - (Post Medieval), Revetment (Medieval) - (Post Medieval)
Alternative Name(s) Balglass Castle
Canmore ID 44574
Site Number NS58NE 3
NGR NS 5855 8761
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/44574
- Council Stirling
- Parish Killearn
- Former Region Central
- Former District Stirling
- Former County Stirlingshire
NS58NE 3 5855 8761
(NS 5855 8761). Baron's Place, Balglass, is situated upon a low knoll which has been artificially steepened by masonry revetment on the N and E, 100yds W of the Balglass Burn.
A dwelling house stood here as late as 1795, but 100 years later the site was occupied by farm buildings. A building certainly existed here in 1602 as a stone bearing that date was built into the wall of the farmhouse, and the place may well have been inhabited at a considerably earlier date as the lands of Balglass are mentioned in a charter of 1486.
The revetments, or part of them, may thus be of considerable age and this is borne out by the rough and massive character of the masonry on the E side. That on the N is different and probably represents an 18th century reconstruction.
RCAHMS 1963.
The drystone masonry revetment at Baron's Place is as described by RCAHMS (1963). In addition the revetment continues along the west side of the knoll. There is no trace of an early building, nor of a datestone, among the ruinous farm-buildings which occupy the site.
Visited by OS (D S) 8 April 1957.
Field Visit (August 1978)
Baron's Place, Balglass NS 585 876 NS58NE 3
In 1795 there was 'a large dwelling-house or castle, of an antiquated construction' here, but all that now remains, apart from modern buildings, are the revetments that bound the summit of the knoll upon which the building stood. The lands of Balglass are mentioned in a charter of 1486. A stone bearing the date 1602 has been removed from the site.
RCAHMS 1979, visited August 1978
(Stat Acct, xvi, 1795, 104; Smith 1896, 246; RCAHMS 1963, pp. 261-2, no. 212)
Field Walking (1 June 2012 - 13 July 2012)
A programme of archaeological assessment and survey works was required by Scottish Woodlands in respect of a series of defined land parcels on the Ballinkinrain Hills in Stirling (centred NGR: 256932, 686424). This land is largely open ground which is proposed for afforestation. This archaeological survey has been designed to establish a sound baseline on the archaeological resource within the landholding of the Scottish Woodlands and hence inform their management of the ground. The archaeological survey works were carried out during June, 2012. Thirty-five potential cultural heritage sites have been identified by the assessment within the study area and within a 50m buffer of the proposed boundary; twenty of which lie within the proposed location for the planting scheme. It is likely that of the thirty-five sites thirty-three are of local or other significance. Two sites, both elements of Balglas (Sites 15 and 16), have been assessed to be of regional significance. Given the nature of land use within the development area, these significant sites are still likely to survive in reasonably good condition. Recommendations for the preservation in-situ of these two sites have been made in keeping with best practices. However, these sites currently stand outwith but adjacent to the proposed area for plantation.
Information from Oasis (rathmell1-130083) 4 December 2012
Archaeological Evaluation (15 October 2021 - 18 October 2021)
NS 58547 87610 An evaluation comprising two trenches was undertaken, 15–18 October 2021, at Old Balglass (Canmore ID: 44574), which is associated with a substantial revetment of uncertain antiquity. The site appears to have been the location of some form of Laird’s House and has been known as “The Place of Balglass” and “Baron’s Place”. The evaluation uncovered a substantial cobbled surface, which may be connected with a pre- 18th-century road and several pieces of reused dressed masonry. The sequence appears to represent some form of medieval structure demolished in the later 18th century to create a mansion house with a terraced garden, which in turn was demolished in the mid-19th century to build a farm complex, which in turn was demolished in the mid- to late-20th century.
Archive: Stirling SMR Funder: Private individual
Murray Cook – Stirling Council
(Source: DES Vol 22)
Archaeological Evaluation (14 June 2022 - 18 June 2022)
NS 58547 87610 A further phase of evaluation was undertaken at Old Balglass this time focusing on a structure marked as roofless on the 1st Edition OS map. This was assumed to be the remains of Place of Balgass which had been incorporated into a garden terrace. The works identified varying stone and a section of wall with a substantial foundation, presumably the entrance to the original medieval structure.
Archive: Stirling HER (intended) Funder: Rampart Scotland
Murray Cook, Jennifer Strachan and Sue MacKay – Stirling Council
(Source: DES Volume 23)
