Edington Castle

NT85NE 9.00 8950 5621

NT85NE 9.01 NT 8957 5614 Dovecot

(NT 8950 5621) Edington Castle (NR) (Remains of)

(NT 8956 5613) Dovecot (NR)

OS 6"map, (1957).

All that remains of Edington Castle or Manor House is the S front, 86' long, standing 10' high x 3' thick, and part of the E wall, 24' long. (RCAHMS 1915). It was surrounded by a deep moat, part of which still exists. (G Henderson 1876) (Presumably the castle was built after the destruction of Edington Bastle in the 16th century). The last time it was occupied was in 1708. (Name Book 1856). To the SE is a large dovecot with a tiled roof and crow-stepped gables. Built of dressed sandstone, its walls are 3' thick.

RCAHMS 1915, visited 1908.

As described above. The remaining parts of the castle walls now form part of a modern dyke, apparently made of stones taken from the castle. In poor condition. The architectural details remaining, eg coursed masonry and rectangular windows, are typical of 16th-17th century houses.

The dovecot is of traditional 17th century type, and is probably associated with the old castle.

There is no evidence of a moat.

Visited by (JP) 18 December 1972.

Dovecot no longer extant and deleted from field document.

Information from J Rumens 6 December 1974.

Castle listed.

RCAHMS 1980.

NT 895 562 A watching brief was maintained for 177m of pipe trench during renewal of a water main along the N verge of the A6105 at the point where it passes Edington Castle. Documentary evidence indicates the former existence of a village since the 11th century AD at this point. Excavation revealed a series of surfaces and deposits principally relating to the regrading of the road since the 19th century. No evidence was found for medieval features and no residual artefacts were noted. All recorded features appear to be recent in date.

A report has been sent to Scottish Borders SMR and the project archive has been lodged with the NMRS.

Sponsor: East of Scotland Water Authority.

A Hunter Blair 1998.

NT 895 562 Around October 1998 an archaeological watching brief was undertaken at Edington Castle, Chirnside by Headland Archaeology Ltd during the work to renew a water main. The work was commissioned by East of Scotland Water and was carried out in accordance with a specification prepared by the Scottish Borders Council. There is documentary evidence for a village at Edington since the 11th century so the primary objective of the watching brief was to check for the presence of medieval settlement. The total length of the water pipe trench was 177m and it was situated 30m N of the castle along the grass verge on the N side of the A6105 road. The water pipe trench was mechanically excavated to a depth of 1.2m using a JCB excavator. Six test trenches were excavated along the route of the trench to assess the archaeological potential and to determine strategy. All the features revealed during the watching brief are thought to be of recent date, 18th century to present day. There was no evidence for medieval features and no residual medieval artefacts were encountered in later deposits. The water pipe trench cut througha sequence of deposits that were built up in two stages to create a better grade on the road. These deposits were deepest at the base of the slope at the W end of the area investigated. Towards the E end of the area surfaces and features were found that appear to be associated with the the now derelict blacksmith's workshop which still stands on the N side of the road. The report concludes that medieval deposits, if they survive at all, do not extend up to the line of the present main road.

Sponsor: East of Scotland Water

NMRS MS/899/103 (October 1998 Headland Archaeology Ltd)