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Rusko Castle
Castle (Medieval)
Site Name Rusko Castle
Classification Castle (Medieval)
Alternative Name(s) Rusco Tower; Rusco Castle
Canmore ID 63772
Site Number NX56SE 5
NGR NX 58420 60419
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/63772
- Council Dumfries And Galloway
- Parish Anwoth
- Former Region Dumfries And Galloway
- Former District Stewartry
- Former County Kirkcudbrightshire
NX56SE 5 58420 60419.
(NX 5842 6042) Rusko Castle (NR).
OS 6" map (1957)
Rusco Castle, or Rusko Castle, now semi-ruinous, probably dates from the early 16th century. It is a simple rectangular tower, three storeys and a garret high, measuring 38 1/2' by 29' over walls 6'-8' thick. There is a ruinous two storeyed addition to the N, dating probably from the 17th century, provided with a stair-tower projecting W. This addition measures 57' by 22' over walls which nowhere exceed 3' thick.
Rusco, which in early times belonged to the Carsnane family and was known as Glenskyreburn passed by marriage in the early 16th century to Sir Robert Gordon of Lochinvar. It was inhabited till about 1890.
RCAHMS 1914, visited 1911; N Tranter 1965
Rusko Castle (name confirmed) is as described.
Visited by OS (DWR) 24 February 1972
The pits associated with the four garderobe chutes of Rusko Castle were excavated in 1973. Most of the finds were of 19th century domestic rubbish with only a few examples of earlier material, suggesting that the pits had been thoroughly cleared out on several occasions.
L J Masters 1973
A minor excavation was carried out in August 1983 on a spur 50m ESE of the tower, revealing indications of a slight rectangular building measuring c.15 x 9m. Finds included roofing slate and fragments of window glass and pottery dateable to the mid-18th century.
Information from A Mack, 1 Redlands Rd, Glasgow, letter and excavation report, 9 May 1984 (MS/338).
Now restored and occupied.
N Tranter 1990
Non-Guardianship Sites Plan Collection, DC28505- DC28511, 1898.
NMRS REFERENCE:
Interesting rectangular tower of the early 16th century, in poor repair.
EXTERNAL REFERENCE:
Scottish Record Office - 2 Pencil Drawings, unsigned, 1887 - GD 214/57
