Dunbar, Lochend Wood, Lochend
Armorial Panel (17th Century), Country House (17th Century), Sundial (Post Medieval)
Site Name Dunbar, Lochend Wood, Lochend
Classification Armorial Panel (17th Century), Country House (17th Century), Sundial (Post Medieval)
Alternative Name(s) Lochend Castle; Lochend House; Old Lochend House; Lochend Estate
Canmore ID 57615
Site Number NT67NE 16
NGR NT 67762 77969
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/57615
- Council East Lothian
- Parish Dunbar
- Former Region Lothian
- Former District East Lothian
- Former County East Lothian
NT67NE 16.00 67760 77968
Within the grounds of Lochend House are the fragments of a two-storeyed 17th century mansion. Some 20 feet of the lateral walls are standing to the wall-head, as well as the gable, from which projects a semi-octagon not unlike a modern oriel. The gable is continued as a courtyard wall for a distance of 34 1/2 feet, where it is pierced by a fine Renaissance gateway dated 1684.
HERALDIC PANEL. - On a panel lying beside the gateway is carved an heraldic achievement. Beneath a heavy crest and mantling isa shield charged with nine stars (the Baillie arms) and below is the legend SEDES DENT FATA QUIETAS ('May) the fates give a quiet seat') and the initials 1 B.
SUNDIAL. - Adjoining the panel is the head of a sundial of the facet-headed type containing 12 dials.
HISTORICAL NOTE. - The initials recorded above are no doubt those of James Baillie entered in 1640 as heir to his father Sir Gideon Baillie knight baronet of Lochend. By 1671 the property had fallen to an heiress, grand-daughter of James Baillie; and in 1680 lands and barony were in possession of John Sinclair of Longformacus.
RCAHMS 1924
NT 67845 77911. The remains of the former Lochend House are as described above, and are in comparatively good condition.
Visited by OS (DT) 28 August 1962.
NT67NE 16.00 67760 77968
NT67NE 16.01 67485 78076 Gate Piers and Boundary Wall
NT67NE 16.02 67471 78091 Hallhill Cottages No. 1
NT67NE 16.03 67836 78147 Gardener's House
NT67NE 16.04 67779 78093 Walled Garden
NT67NE 16.05 678 774 Trial Excavation
NT67NE 16.06 67470 78088 Hallhill Cottages No. 2
NT67NE 16.07 67478 78089 Hallhill Cottages No. 3
NT67NE 99.00 67465 77842 Hallhill
NT67NE 99.01 67410 77839 Hallhill Steading
NMRS NOTES:
Lochend
Owner: Captain Warrender
Architect: William Burn 1823 (Kitchen, offices 1851)
NMRS NOTES:
Seat of Sir George Warrender once a baillie property. Attractive gothic mansion destroyed by fire in 1859 and subsequently demolished 1909. No sign of heraldic panel or sundial was found as recorded in RCAHMS volume on East Lothian 1924.
Field Visit (27 August 1915)
Within the grounds of Lochend House near the south lodge are the fragments of a two-storeyed I7th century mansion. Some 20 feet of the lateral walls are standing to the wall-head, as well as the gable, from which projects a semi-octagon not unlike a modern oriel. The gable is continued as a courtyard wall for a distance of 34 ½ feet, where it is pierced by a fine Renaissance gateway dated 1684.
HERALDIC PANEL. On a panel lying beside the gateway is carved an heraldic achievement. Beneath a heavy crest and mantling is a shield charged with nine stars (the Baillie arms) and below is the legend SEDES DENT FATA QUIETAS (‘May the fates give a quiet seat’) and the initials I B.
SUNDIAL. Adjoining the panel is the head of a sundial of the facet-headed type containing12 dials.
HISTORICAL NOTE. The initials recorded above are no doubt those of James Baillie entered in 1640 as heir to his father Sir Gideon Baillie knight baronet of Lochend (1). By 1671 the property had fallen to an heiress, granddaughter of James Baillie (2), and in 1680 lands and barony were in possession of John Sinclair of Longformacus (3)
RCAHMS 1924, visited 27 August 1915.
(1) Inquis. Spec. i. Hadd. No. 184; (2) Ibid,305, 306; (3) Ibid, 337.
['Inquisitiones Speciales' in Inquisitionum in Publicis Archivis
Scotiae Abbrevatio.]
Geophysical Survey (March 2020)
NT 6777 7797 An area ground resistance survey totalling 800m2 was conducted in March 2020 near to the standing remains of Old Lochend House at the corner of Kellie Road and Baillie Court in Dunbar in an attempt to locate evidence of earlier structures. A higher resistance roughly circular anomaly of 11.2m in diameter with a central lower resistance area of 3.0m, a possible 1.0m gap through it and projecting spurs to the W and E was recorded. Heavy tree and shrub growth prevented the survey of the corner of the area of the anomaly to the SE. In addition, a N aligned line of higher resistance ‘blobs’ terminating in a 4 x 3m high resistance rectangle at the N extremity of the survey area was noted. The survey produced reasonably convincing evidence of earlier structures. Its proximity to the surviving gable end suggests that it may be a structure associated with Old Lochend House rather than solid geology.
Archive: NRHE, East Lothian Council
Funder: Edinburgh Archaeological Field Society; Private individual, Dr Arran Johnston (Scottish Battlefields Trust)
Ian Hawkins − Edinburgh Archaeological Field Society
(Source: DES Vol 21)
