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Summary

Description

TOWER: Possibly William Robertson, Elgin, dated 5th

January, 1827. Gothic, 3-storey octagonal folly on

hilltop site. Harl pointed rubble, tooled and polished

ashlar dressings. Pointed-headed, hoodmoulded entrance

in E face with worn masked stops to hoodmould and single

order of nailhead decoration to moulded recessed

doorway. Dated plaque above entrance which is flanked

by blind cruciform arrow slits; similar slits to

alternate faces in ground and 1st floors with long

'keyhole' slits in upper storey; round-headed windows in

alternate faces in 1st floor and 2nd floors, in 2nd with

mask decoration to cill corbels; pulvinated string

course delineates each storey. Corbelled and crenellated

wallhead with small stack masked by crenellation; flat roof

with centre flagstaff.

INTERIOR: rubble walled interior with access too each

floor by crude wooden staircase; small mural fireplace

in upper room.

MAUSOLEUM: probably Thomas Mackenzie, architect, circa

1850. Subterranean vault, revealed only at N by tooled

rubble wall with block pedimented walled-up entrance,

under square railed enclosure. Rectangular tomb in

centre of enclosure on stepped base under shallow

pyramidal shaped top with angle acroteria decorated with

carved thistles. Inscribed polished granite tablets (3

each side and single tablet each end) set into side of

tomb. Cast-iron spearhead railings.

Statement of Special Interest

Plaque above entrance inscribed 'York Tower, 5th Jany.

1827'. Erected by Alexander Forteath of Newton to

commemorate Frederick Augustus, Duke of York, born 16

August 1783, died 5 January 1827. It stands on a

commanding hilltop site, also site of a prehistoric

fort.

Alexander Forteath (born Williamson but changed his name

on inheritance) inherited Newton from his uncle, George

Forteath, who died in 1815 and whose name, with 7 other

other members of the family including Alexander, are

named on sarcophagus.

William Robertson known to have worked extensively for

Alexander Forteath.

References

Bibliography

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