Castle Semple Park, Cave
Cave (Period Unassigned), Garden Feature (Period Unassigned)
Site Name Castle Semple Park, Cave
Classification Cave (Period Unassigned), Garden Feature (Period Unassigned)
Alternative Name(s) Castle Semple Policies
Canmore ID 269151
Site Number NS36SE 9.13
NGR NS 3740 6011
NGR Description NS c. 3740 6011
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/269151
- Council Renfrewshire
- Parish Lochwinnoch
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Renfrew
- Former County Renfrewshire
NS36SE 9.13 3740 6011
NS 372 602. Beside the shallow rectangular pond referred to as a fish pond, is an artifical cave or chamber cut in the solid rock, 9ft by 8ft 3 ins with rounded corners, the roof arched to a maximum height of 7ft, and the paved floor 1ft below the entrance and paved with slabs. The entrance, including an arched lintel, is 2ft 2 ins wide and 5ft 3ins high. A path connects it with a well-known icehouse, about 100yds downstream. There, only the rear and forewalls are original, and the brick faces, square loading hole in the roof, and the circular, brick-lined inner chamber, about 10ft deep are probably late 18th century improvements. The cave is possibly an even earlier ice-house, and the "fish pond" which lies apart from the known Estate fish pond is possibly an ice-pond, from which the blocks were cut and stored in the adjacent cave. The position would suggest a connection with the nearby collegiate church (16th century: see NS36SE 10).
F Newall and T Anderson 1969.
Standing Building Recording (27 April 2015 - 25 March 2016)
NS 37526 60141 A watching brief and Level 2 building survey were undertaken, 27 April 2015 – 25 March 2016, during the restoration and consolidation of the built remains that form part of the designed landscape of the Castle Semple Estate, Lochwinnoch. The remains include an ice house, cave and three water cascade features located along the Blackditch Burn within Courtshaw Wood and are designated as Category B
monuments of regional significance (NS36SE 9.10, NS36SE 9.11, NS36SE 9.12, NS36SE 9.13). The work revealed the method used to construct the structures, including evidence of decorative wrought iron work on the coping stones of the middle cascade, a possible decorative fountain within the upper cascade fish pond, and a stone-lined culvert leading from the cave into the burn.
Archive: NRHE and WoSAS
Funder: Renfrewshire Council, Historic Environment Scotland and Heritage Lottery Fund
Maureen C Kilpatrick – GUARD Archaeology Ltd
(Source: DES, Volume 17)
