Kipps

Kipps.

The ruin of Kipps (RCAHMS 1929, Fig. 247) stands in a farm-steading in a lonely position on a hillside 3 miles north of Bathgate. On plan the structure is an oblong block, measuring 59 ½ by 24 ½ feet [18m by 7.5m], and lying almost east and west, with a rectangular stair-tower at the southwestern angle and a circular stair-tower projecting from the north wall. The western portion including the stairs seems to have been the original house, which was being built in 1625-6 (en.1), the eastern portion being apparently an extension. The structure has been of three storeys. The masonry is of rubble with dressed quoins, and originally was harled; the windows and the external doors, where unaltered, have a bold edge-roll and quirk on jamb and lintel. The entrance is in the south wall, beside the stair-tower; the lowest rybats are original, the remainder and the lintel have been renewed. The entrance opens on a small lobby giving access to the south-west stair and two vaulted chambers. The western of these was the kitchen, provided with a large fireplace and slop-outlet; off the other chamber the north stair is entered, and through the stair-foot is reached the eastern part, which contains a single-vaulted chamber, latterly the kitchen, containing a large arched fireplace with a window behind it, an aumbry, and possibly a slop-drain and well. At the south-east angle is a door from the exterior. Both stairs are turnpikes provided with shotholes. The northern one led to all the floors, the southern to the first floor only. The original west gable does not rise above the basement, and the partitions on the upper floors have been of timber. Each of the upper floors probably comprised two rooms with a little chamber beside each gable flue. The north windows can hardly be traced, while those to the south, with one exception, have been altered. Some thirty years ago the house was roofed with pantiles and was inhabited; to-day it is roofless and in a very dilapidated condition. A farm building has been erected against the south wall, while the vaulting in the extension has fallen in places and is dangerous. Some years ago the southeast angle was struck by lightning.

Tombs of the Boyds of Kipps or Kips are in the church of the Preceptory at Torphichen (RCAHMS 1929, No. 379) (en.2). Robert Boyd of Kips, advocate, died in 1645, leaving only daughters (en.3). One daughter married David Sibbald, and their third son, Sir Robert Sibbald, physician, naturalist, and antiquary, whose work on Linlithgowshire is cited in several articles and who died in 1722, lived at Kipps for many years.

RCAHMS 1929, visited 7 March 1924

OS 6-inch map: v.SE

(en.1) Register of Deeds, vol. 393, fol. 185;

(en.2) Sibbald's Linlithgowshire, pp. 24, 25;

(en.3) Inquis. Spec., Linlith., Nos. 157, 158 (A.D. 1646)

Basement and ground floor plans of the house at Kipps were surveyed by RCAHMS in 1924. The measured sketches were drawn up in ink and published in 1929 (RCAHMS 1929, fig. 300).