Documents

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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

  Legal Documents for Covington, castle & dovecot (SM2599)

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600038145)

Summary

Description

The monument comprises the remains of Covington Castle, a medieval tower house with associated earthworks and dovecot, located immediately to the south of Covington Mains and approximately 1km west of the River Clyde. 

The monument is a tower house, believed to have been built in the late 15th century by the Lindsays of Covington. The tower is rectangular in plan and constructed of coursed rubble masonry with walls up to 3m thick and between 7m and 14m in height. Originally the tower stood to four stories but has lost its parapet. The entrance is at ground level near the centre of the north wall. In the northwest corner is a circular stair which is reached by a short flight of straight steps. The ground floor was barrel vaulted (now collapsed and removed) with a loft above and lit by slit windows. Excavation of the ground floor suggests that the area had been divided with wooden partitions. The first floor contained the hall with large window recesses that are arched with dressed ashlar and have windows seats, a large fireplace and a wall cupboard with a roll moulding. There are number of wall chambers at this level, with the one in southwest corner having a trapdoor leading to a prison or strongroom beneath. The tower is surrounded by extensive earthworks which added to the castle's defences and may have helped drain what was a marshy area. Within this area there are also the remains of later gardens, Approximately 60m to the northeast of the tower is beehive shaped dovecot dating to the 16th century. 

The scheduled area is irregular. It includes the remains described above and an area around within which evidence relating to the monument's construction, use and abandonment is expected to survive, as shown in red on the accompanying map. 

The borehole well and all above ground elements of current gates, post and wire fencing, and telegraph poles are specifically excluded from the scheduled area to allow for their maintenance.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance as it makes a significant contribution to the understanding or appreciation of the past as the remains of a medieval castle, consisting of a 15th century tower and associated earthworks, with a later dovecot. The tower has surviving architectural features typical of an early 15th century towerhouse including round headed doorways, arched window recesses with seats, wall chambers, a slop basin and drain, and fireplaces. The surrounding earthworks are substantial although now much silted up. They are a rare and unusual survival in combination with a towerhouse, and it is possible that they predate the 15th century. Covington is documented from the 12th century when Thomas de Colbainestun (Thomas of Covington) is recorded as a witness to an agreement between Ingram, Bishop of Glasgow and Robert de Brus, and by the mid 13th century Covington is recorded as a lordship. The earthworks may therefore be the remains of a high-status moated site, perhaps dating to the 12th century, with the towerhouse replacing less substantial lordly buildings in the 15thcentury. The site is therefore of significance in potentially showing the development of a likely earth and timber moated site into a late medieval masonry castle. The nearby medieval parish church provides important context to monument which adds to its significance.

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.