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

  SM6200_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600012091)

Summary

Description

This monument consists of the remains of a 15th-century tower house on a small promontory with associated defensive ditches and banks. The remains stand to the top of the first storey on the NW and SW sides only, the other two sides remaining as footings only. The ground floor of the tower is entered by a round-headed door with holes for a draw bar to the north end of the NW wall.

Three barrel-vaulted cellars, connected by doors at the NW end of each, lay side by side filling this floor. Access to the upper floors was provided by a turnpike stair at the N corner. The first floor consisted of a large barrel-vaulted hall with a fireplace at the SW end. In the NW wall there is a window recess and an aumbry with a shelf. The SW wall contains two flues.

These may have been for a twin-flued hall fireplace or one may have continued down to the ground floor. Around the tower, there are traces of banks at the top of the slope down to the Water of Leith and a 2m deep ditch to the SE to defend against attack from the S. The area thus enclosed on the promontory is likely to be archaeologically rich with traces of other buildings probably lying below the ground level.

The area to be scheduled is bounded on the SW and the NE by small streams, to the SE by the garden boundary and to the NW 2m beyond the top of the slope down to the river. The area is irregular in shape measuring a maximum of 80m N-S by 100m E-W as marked in red on the accompanying map.

Statement of National Importance

This monument is of national importance because, although missing two walls, it gives a clear indication of the layout of the lower two floors of a fine 15th-century tower house. The masonry is of a very high quality, approaching ashlar rather than the usual rubble build. This quality is echoed in the fine barrel vault which covered the hall and the barrel vaults over the window and door recesses. The corner staircase rising to the first floor is not common for a building of this size and date when an external stair is more common in linking the ground floor with the hall above.

The tower is said to have been a popular residence of the Stewart King up to James IV, a story which is consistent with quality of the masonry. In addition to the building's architectural merits, the surrounding area may well contain evidence of ancillary buildings and defences which could contribute to the understanding of the domestic and defensive arrangements of a prestigious late-medieval stronghold.

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.