Floors Castle, Formal Garden
Formal Garden (Period Unassigned)
Site Name Floors Castle, Formal Garden
Classification Formal Garden (Period Unassigned)
Alternative Name(s) Floors Castle Policies
Canmore ID 77432
Site Number NT73SW 5.02
NGR NT 7080 3420
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/77432
- Council Scottish Borders, The
- Parish Kelso
- Former Region Borders
- Former District Roxburgh
- Former County Roxburghshire
Aerial reconnaissance has recorded what may be the outlines of a formal garden to the south-west of Floors Castle. The outline of the garden's beds is clearly shown as parch marks, those areas of grass that have dried more quickly than others due to a lack of moisture in the soil. In appearance, this garden appears be very similar to another on the estate that has been maintained. The garden appears to be divided into four square beds, with the suggestion of other features projecting from the main square.
Plans of Floors Castle estate from 1736 and 1798 show no trace of a formal garden in this area. Similarly the 1st Edition of the Ordnance Survey 6-inch map of Roxburghshire, surveyed in 1858, does not depict the garden. However, the pattern of trees shown on this map appears to respect the area in which the garden lies. This would suggest that the garden was an early nineteenth century addition, and was already under grass by the 1858 survey.
Text prepared by RCAHMS as part of the Accessing Scotland's Past project
NT73SW 5.02 7080 3420
Floors (Fleurs) Castle. The remains of what appears to be a Formal Garden on the Floors estate showing as a parchmark have been revealed through aerial photography. The garden is not depicted on the 1st ed. Ordnance Survey (Roxburghshire 9, surveyed 1858) although the pattern of trees appears to respect the area in which the garden is sited. Matthew Stobie's plan of the estate (Stobie 1798) also does not show the garden and neither does an earlier estate map of 1736 (SRO: RHP9302). However, the ground plan of the garden appears to be similar to a garden near to the cottage on the SE of the estate.
Information from RCAHMSAP (RHM), 31 January 1994.