Description

The monument consists of the earthwork remains of a motte-and-bailey castle of probable 12th century date. The monument is situated on the S bank of the Garpol Water, which would have no doubt added to its defences, and is within a clearing in a modern forestry plantation. A single-track road encroaches onto the site to the S and E.

The monument is a much altered natural hillock which accounts for its rather unusual oval shape, lying with its main axis NW and SW. The motte does not conform to the classic pudding bowl profile; instead the highest point of the hillock has been scarped to form an elongated motte, its summit measuring 32.5m by 10.8m. A broad terrace on the N slope of the hillock has been created to act as a bailey, not much larger than the motte summit itself. It measures 34m from WNW to ESE by 13.8m transversely. The terrace also encircles the motte to the S and E, although here it is of much more narrow breadth. A stony bank crowns its whole circumference, perhaps the remnants of a masonry parapet wall. Around the base of a hillock, except on the E, is a broad deep ditch with an outer bank. The ditch has a breadth varying from 6.7m to 9.1m and a depth at the level of the counterscarp of from 1.2m to 3.3m. The external bank is 4m thick and 1.5m high. On the northern side of the motte, the ditch and bank have an 11m gap, the purpose of which is unclear, but which may have been an entrance to the castle; there is a slight suggestion of a steep path from this breach in the defences up to the bailey.

Although overlooking the Garpol Water, the motte does not appear to have been sited for strategic reasons. Its relatively isolated position may reflect its use as a hunting seat.

The area to be scheduled includes the motte, its bailey and the banks and ditches which surround them, and an area around which has the potential for associated archaeology. The area has four sides and is a maximum of 130m N-S and 160m E-W as marked in red on the attached map. The northern and eastern extent of the scheduled area is defined by modern field walls. The top 30cm of the surface of the roadway within the scheduled area is excluded from the scheduling to enable minor repair and alterations without the need for scheduled monument consent.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography
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Source: Historic Environment Scotland