Friars Carse
Grange (Medieval)(Possible)
Site Name Friars Carse
Classification Grange (Medieval)(Possible)
Canmore ID 65810
Site Number NX98NW 7
NGR NX 926 850
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/65810
- Council Dumfries And Galloway
- Parish Dunscore
- Former Region Dumfries And Galloway
- Former District Nithsdale
- Former County Dumfries-shire
NX98NW 7 926 850.
(Name NX 926 850) Monastery (NR) (Site of)
OS 6" map (1957)
Land at Friars' Carse was given to Affrica, daughter of Edgar, to the monastery of Melrose about the year 1215, and the administration of such an out-lying estate would require "some sort of grange".
Trans Dumfriesshire Galloway Natur Hist Antiq Soc 1948
Grose says that when the ruinous old house of Friars' Carse was demolished in 1773 it was found that the dining room wall was eight feet thick and its chimney twelve feet wide.
F Grose 1789
Beyond this, there is no evidence that Friars' Carse was the site of a monastic cell or establishment and no monastic house here is mentioned by Easson.
D E Easson 1957
The belief may have arisen as a result of the former existence of a garden retreat of ecclesiastical design and called the Hermitage, which was built by an 18thc owner of the house, Captain Riddell, who surrounded it and his garden with a collection of crosses, inscribed stones, fonts, etc, from various sources.
(Undated) information in NMRS.
There is no evidence of any monastic establishment at Friars' Carse and no knowledge as to where the former house was built. A 9th/10th century cross (See NX98NW 12) still stands in the grounds and other carved stones have been removed in recent years by unknown persons.
Visited by OS (JP) 18 June 1975.
