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Black Castle, Oldhamstocks

Castle (Medieval)

Site Name Black Castle, Oldhamstocks

Classification Castle (Medieval)

Canmore ID 58914

Site Number NT77SW 12

NGR NT 7381 7070

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/58914

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
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Administrative Areas

  • Council East Lothian
  • Parish Oldhamstocks (East Lothian)
  • Former Region Lothian
  • Former District East Lothian
  • Former County East Lothian

Archaeology Notes

NT77SW 12 7381 7070.

(NT 7381 7070) Black Castle (NR) (Site of)

OS 6" map (1959)

The site of a castle which belonged to the Hepburn family. In the memory of the oldest inhabitants now living there existed a portion of the vaulted rooms of the ground flat, the walls of which were almost 3ft thick, but which are now all removed and the ground ploughed over. It does not appear to have been a place of great strength or extent.

Name Book 1853

No trace of this castle remains.

Visited by OS (WDJ) 29 March 1966

NT 7381 7070 (centre) A desk-based assessment and field evaluation were undertaken in advance of the construction of a workshop with integral house and accompanying access road on the documented site of Black Castle. The field evaluation identified a length of heavily robbed-out wall, including its NE corner. This is believed to represent a W wall of the castle. Pottery dating to the 19th century was found in association with the robber trench, which supports documentary evidence that the ruins of the castle had stood into the early 19th century.

Full details lodged with the NMRS.

Sponsors: Mr & Mrs N Richerby.

R Conolly 2001

Activities

Watching Brief (July 2002)

NT 738 708 An archaeological watching brief was undertaken in July 2002 during the laying of services and the construction of a road leading to a new house outside Oldhamstocks. The watching brief followed an earlier desk-based assessment and evaluation (DES 2001, 36) which had demonstrated that the development was likely to disturb archaeological features associated with Black Castle (NT 77 SW 12).

Two walls were encountered during the excavation of the service trench. One of these had been identified in the course of the evaluation, while the second lay outside the area evaluated and appeared to be the remnants of an enclosure wall depicted on Adair's 1682 map of East Lothian. No archaeological features were identified during the stripping of the roadway.

Archive to be deposited in the NMRS.

Sponsors: Mr & Mrs N Richerby.

R Conolly (Headland Archaeology) 2002

References

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