Pumpherston Farm
Castle (Medieval), Dovecot (Period Unassigned)
Site Name Pumpherston Farm
Classification Castle (Medieval), Dovecot (Period Unassigned)
Alternative Name(s) Pumpherston Castle
Canmore ID 49065
Site Number NT06NE 6
NGR NT 075 686
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/49065
- Council West Lothian
- Parish Mid Calder
- Former Region Lothian
- Former District West Lothian
- Former County Midlothian
NT06NE 6 075 686.
An ancient building stood a short distance from Pumpherston farm (NT 075 686). Its foundations were completely removed over 60 years ago, and there are no local traditions concerning it.
Name Book 1853
Pumpherston estate was at one time the seat of a baronial residence of considerable strength and proportions. Sommers (New Statistical Account [NSA] 1845) refers to Pumpherston Castle as a work of great antiquity, adding that it had long been in ruins, and lately entirely removed. This building is marked in Blaeu's Atlas, 1662, and formerly stood in a field of about 15 acres in extent, E of the present farm-steading, which is still surrounded by a park wall of stone and lime. The SE corner of the field is very fertile and is regarded as the garden of the castle. A dovecot formerly stood within the same enclosure, in front of the farmhouse, and an ancient keep or look-out tower occupied a situation at the top of the bank rising from the river Almond.
H B M'Call 1894
No structure relating to these buildings was found. No further information.
Visited by OS (DWR) 28 March 1974
