Accessibility

Font Size

100% 150% 200%

Background Colour

Default Contrast
Close Reset

Dundas Castle

Country House (15th Century) - (19th Century)

Site Name Dundas Castle

Classification Country House (15th Century) - (19th Century)

Alternative Name(s) Old Dundas Castle; Dundas Castle Policies

Canmore ID 50602

Site Number NT17NW 6

NGR NT 11835 76714

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/50602

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
Canmore Disclaimer. © Copyright and database right 2024.

Toggle Aerial | View on large map

Digital Images


First 100 images shown. See the Collections panel (below) for a link to all digital images.

Administrative Areas

  • Council Edinburgh, City Of
  • Parish Dalmeny
  • Former Region Lothian
  • Former District City Of Edinburgh
  • Former County West Lothian

Archaeology Notes

NT17NW 6.00 11835 76714

(NT 1178 7671) Tower (NR)

OS 6" map (1968)

NT17NW 6.01 1166 7683 Works; Stables (Possible)

NT17NW 6.02 11853 76024 Boathouse

NT17NW 6.03 11875 76697 Fountain and Sundial

NT17NW 6.04 11240 76978 Castle Grove

NT17NW 6.05 11177 76987 Brown Acre

NT17NW 6.06 11171 76988 Lilac Cottage

NT17NW 6.07 11164 76989 Rose Acre

NT17NW 6 and NT17NW 08 11159 76990 Dundas Main

NT17NW 6.09 11728 76836 Blue Acre

NT17NW 6.10 12559 75676 South Lodge

NT17NW 6.11 12041 75829 Dundas Loch Bridge

NT17NW 6.12 11792 76707 Dundas Castle Keep

NT17NW 6.13 11801 76669 Stable Court

See also:

NT17NW 7 1161 7678 Chapel Acre

NT17NW 22 11482 76768 Dovecot

NT17NW 51 12896 77004 North gate-lodge

NT17NW 52 11543 76346 Icehouse

NT17NW 53 11461 76400 Walled garden

NT17NW 54 11332 76439 Castleloch

NT17NW 55 1162 7672 Chapel Acre, house

Dundas Castle: Adjoining the offices of the mansion built in 1818 is a 4-storeyed, L-shaped tower, built c. 1416 to which a second wing was added c.1424, projecting from the NW angle.

The rubble walls of the tower are surmounted by a 16th century crenellated parapet. The tower is in a good state of repair, though much altered internally, having been at one time converted into a distillery.

The lands were in the possession of the Dundas family from c. 1120 until 1875, when the estate was sold to James Russell. The castle was beseiged in 1449, and is said to have been visited by both Charles II and Oliver Cromwell in 1651, though it does not seem to have been involved in the hostilities at that time.

RCAHMS 1929, visited 1926

This tower is as described and is in a good state of repair.

Visited by OS (BS) 14 August 1974

NT 1178 7671. Two service trenches on the E and SW sides of the tower house were excavated by Headland Archaeology Ltd as part of the current refurbishment programme. Bedrock was encountered close to the surface in the E trench, its surface partially modified during the construction of the tower house. A series of features, most probably associated with the brewery phase of the building's use in the early 19th century and the construction of the modern mansion, were also revealed. No evidence for later medieval or post-medieval activity on the site was traced during the course of this work. A previously unrecorded inscription, probably 16th century in date, was also located during the course of this work, built into a nearby wall. An archive report has been deposited with the NMRS (MS/899/7)

Sponsor: Dundas Castle Estate.

C E Lowe 1996

Scheduled with NT17NW 6.03 and NT17NW 22 as Old Dundas Castle, castle, sundial and dovecot.

Information from Historic Scotland, scheduling document dated 3 March 1999.

Architecture Notes

NT17NW 6.00 11835 76714

15th century with later additions

Additions - ARCHITECT: William Burn 1818

Charles H Greig Alterations 1900

OWNER: Sir Stewart-Clark

NMRS REFERENCE

Famous Scottish Houses, p.93 - article and photograph

SCOTTISH RECORD OFFICE REFERENCE:

Accounts for glazier work. Patrick Turnbull, glazier

1685 GD73/498

Account for glazier work Micheal Wauch, glazier

1695 GD75/485

Part of account for wright work at Dundas House, Robert Kay, wright

1735 GD75/523

Account for glazier work. Charles Bruce, glazier

1735 GD75/518

Account for wright work due by George Dundas of Dundas to Alexander Peter, wright ?106, 12.2

1744 GD75/533

Account for Smithwork done for the Laird of Dundas. James Reis, smith

1660 GD75/478

Activities

Photographic Survey (1956)

Photographic survey of Dundas Castle, West Lothian, by the Scottish National Buildings Record in 1955.

Watching Brief (25 July 2012 - 26 July 2012)

A watching brief on trench excavations associated with the laying of a cable at the site of Dundas Castle in order to identify and record any archaeological remains that might be exposed by the works. The work was commissioned by Enviko Ltd, and a specification was agreed with Edinburgh City Council. A narrow trench 245 m long across the grounds to the S of the castle was monitored to a maximum depth of 0.9 m. No archaeological features were uncovered during the watching brief.

Headland Archaeology 2012 (D. Wilson) OASIS ID: headland1-131066

References

MyCanmore Image Contributions


Contribute an Image

MyCanmore Text Contributions