Documents

Where documents include maps, the use of this data is subject to terms and conditions (https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/termsandconditions).

The legal document available for download below constitutes the formal designation of the monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The additional details provided on this page are provided for information purposes only and do not form part of the designation. Historic Environment Scotland accepts no liability for any loss or damages arising from reliance on any inaccuracies within this additional information.

• Type

  Legal Documents

  Title

  SM5510_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600011410)

Summary

Description

The monument consists of the remains of Brims castle, a late sixteenth-century towerhouse, its ancillary buildings, N courtyard, and a late eighteenth-century house adjoining on the W.

Brims was the residence of the Sinclairs of Dunbeath. It is L-shaped on plan: a N projecting square stair-tower having been added to the NE angle at a later date. The main block measures 6.95m E-W by 4.7m N-S externally, the N tower projecting 4.1m. The crow-stepped, rubble-built tower consists of a vaulted basement, first floor hall and attic storey. On the upper storey in the E wall is a corbelled

stair turret with carved ornament above the corbelling.

The main entrance in the E wall on the first floor (now masked by modern additions) leads directly to the newel stair. A trap in the floor of the hall leads to the basement. Georgian type windows have been slapped out on the S wall. A lean-to kitchen has been added to the re-entrant angle. Extending c12m to the N is a small courtyard with high coped walls and a segmental-headed, round-arched gateway with worn sandstone mouldings.

A range of one-storeyed ancillary buildings lie along the N wall of the courtyard. Communicating with the tower

by a short one-storeyed passage is an irregular, three-bayed, E-facing house which originally had crow-stepped gables. The house measures 15.2m N-S by 8.1m E-W. Its entrance is in the E wall near the S end. To the E of the house, at the high tide mark are remnants of protective walling.

Identified on the first edition map to the S

of the castle is an ice-house. The area to be scheduled is irregular, measuring a maximum of 68m N-S by 44m E-W, to include the castle and related structures, and an area around and between which contains evidence of associated activity, as shown in red on the accompanying map.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance as a complex group of buildings that have gradually evolved around a central nucleus, consisting of the original, compact, late sixteenth-century towerhouse. As an example of small-scale defensive architecture, retaining a significant amount of its protective courtyard and an intact moulded gateway, the castle is a rare survival in the context of Caithness.

In addition it preserves distinctive features, such as the stair turret corbelled from the outer wall face rather than the re-entrant angle. Of extra importance is the groups' capacity to provide evidence and its potential to provide further evidence, through excavation, which may contribute more to our understanding of fortified architecture; domestic occupation and activity; material culture and social organisation during the late medieval and early modern period.

References

Bibliography

About Scheduled Monuments

Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.

We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.

Scheduling is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for monuments and archaeological sites of national importance as set out in the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979.

We schedule sites and monuments that are found to be of national importance using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Scheduled monument records provide an indication of the national importance of the scheduled monument which has been identified by the description and map. The description and map (see ‘legal documents’ above) showing the scheduled area is the designation of the monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The statement of national importance and additional information provided are supplementary and provided for general information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland accepts no liability for any loss or damages arising from reliance on any inaccuracies within the statement of national importance or additional information. These records are not definitive historical or archaeological accounts or a complete description of the monument(s).

The format of scheduled monument records has changed over time. Earlier records will usually be brief. Some information will not have been recorded and the map will not be to current standards. Even if what is described and what is mapped has changed, the monument is still scheduled.

Scheduled monument consent is required to carry out certain work, including repairs, to scheduled monuments. Applications for scheduled monument consent are made to us. We are happy to discuss your proposals with you before you apply and we do not charge for advice or consent. More information about consent and how to apply for it can be found on our website at www.historicenvironment.scot.

Find out more about scheduling and our other designations at www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support. You can contact us on 0131 668 8914 or at designations@hes.scot.