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

  SM5284_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600011187)

Summary

Description

The monument consists of the remains of a massive Keep which is likely to belong to the fourteenth or fifteenth century.

The castle is situated dramatically above a steep ravine overlooking Colmonell village to the NW. It incorporates the natural bedrock in its foundations. The building is rectangular in plan. Its external dimensions are 13m NE-SW by 9.2m NW-SE over walls two metres thick and about 17m high. The walls are lime-mortared random rubble. Some dressed quoins have been removed from the lower walls. There are several cracks visible in the structure. The NW angle has slipped into the ravine probably as a result of quarrying. The building appears to have had three storeys. The ground floor over a low basement (1.5m) was unvaulted. The large principal hall on the first floor was vaulted (a substantial portion of the vault remains in the SW section). The floor above probably held the bed chambers. The round headed entrance was in the S corner of the SE wall. It leads directly to a newel staircase within the S angle. There are gun slits at basement level. The two principal windows which lit the ground floor were in the NW wall. They extended from floor to ceiling, unfortunately only the S one remains. A massive round headed window

set in the SW wall dominated the main hall. The top level is inaccessible. There is a drain or garderobe leading to the outside in the ground floor of the W angle. To the SW are outlying defensive earthworks.

The area to be scheduled is rectangular and measures a maximum of 120m NE-SW by 30m NW-SE to include the castle and earthworks, as shown in red on the accompanying map.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance because it is a good example of a massive stronghold of medieval date. It preserves evidence and has the potential to preserve further evidence, through excavation, which could add to our understanding of, defensive architecture, domestic occupation, social structure and material culture. The monument's importance is enhanced by its impressive setting within the surrounding landscape.

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.