Description

The monument consists of the remains of a fortified residence probably built during the middle of the fifteenth century.

The tower is situated in a hilly area on the W side of the Candy Burn midway between Biggar and Dolphinton. The three storeyed house measures 7.9m NE-SW by 7.3m over walls 1m thick. The walls survive to wall head (8.2m Max ht) apart from the NE and most of the SW walls which were destroyed in 1872. The tower had crowstepped gables (a small section survives in the SW wall). It has a circular external

tower projecting from the N angle which housed the staircase. The entrance is in the NW wall next to the stair turret. The ground floor contains a vaulted cellar with a shot hole in the SE wall. There is a slit window in the NE wall. The hall occupied the whole of the first floor. It is lit by one window in the NE and two in the SE wall.

There is a small cupboard in the SW wall. The floor above contained one room with two windows above those in the hall and a window and fireplace with moulded corbels in the SE wall. There is a small window in the SW wall. The tower has a wall containing an entrance gateway with a semi-circular headed archway. This wall, originally part of a courtyard, projects some 6.1m from the NE wall. A second house stood in the courtyard but this was demolished in 1815. The

tower itself is built of random rubble with some dressed stones (used liberally in the gateway). The courtyard was cobbled and there is a slight ditch and bank to the NE running NW-SE.

The area to be scheduled is irregular and measures a maximum of 40m N-S by 35m E-W, excluding the surrounding fence, as shown in red on the accompanying map.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is of national importance because it is a fine example of a simple fifteenth century tower which also promises through excavation to contribute further to our knowledge of medieval building construction, domestic occupation and material culture.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

RCAHMS records the site as NT04SE 6.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland