Description

The monument consists of the remains of a masonry castle situated on land rising to the E of the Burn of Deskford.

The upstanding remains of the castle consist of a single masonry wall, which measures 17m in length by 2.5m thick and is 3m high, dimensions comparable to other small enclosure castles dating to the 13th century. This wall would have been the S curtain of the enclosure; the stubs of the E and W wall project to the N. The wall is constructed in a random rubble masonry typical of a 13th century date, and it has a latrine chute projecting to the S.

The area to be scheduled includes the upstanding wall and an area surrounding the wall where associated archaeology could be expected to survive. The area is rectangular in shape and has maximum dimensions of 30m ENE-WSW and 30m transversely.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is nationally important as the probable remains of a 13th-century enclosure castle. Although the standing remains are partial such monuments are rare with few surviving examples from the NE of Scotland and those which do survive are again often in a fragmentary condition. Although extensively ruined its great potential will be to inform through surviving archaeology.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

The monument is recorded by RCAHMS as NJ56SW 12.

References:

NSA 1845, THE NEW STATISTICAL ACCOUNT OF SCOTLAND BY THE MINISTERS OF THE RESPECTIVE PARISHES UNDER THE SUPERINTENDENCE OF A COMMITTEE OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF THE CLERGY, 15v, Edinburgh, Vol. 13, (Banff), 67.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland