Cruggleton Castle
Cruggleton Castle is a ruined castle at Cruggleton Point on the coast of The Machars , about 4.5 km east of Whithorn and about 6 km southeast of Sorbie in the Scottish administrative division of Dumfries and Galloway . Excavations in the 1970s and 1980s unearthed remains of various periods of use from the 1st to the 17th centuries AD. The first stone tower was built in the 13th century on the mound of an older moth .
The castle was located on a high ledge that forms a headland on the eastern cliff front, about 40 meters above sea level. The name "Cruggleton" is said to come from the rocky nature of the site.
History of the site
During excavations on the castle grounds, a circle of huts from the late Iron Age was discovered, as well as the remains of a wooden hall from the early Middle Ages . In the 12th or 13th century the ledge was raised to a mound and a wooden tower was built on it. At the time, Cruggleton Castle may have been the seat of the Lords of Galloway , who then fell to the Earls of Buchan . The oldest stone tower was built at the end of the 13th century, the oldest curtain wall at the beginning of the 15th century. In the 1290s, John Comyn, 7th Earl of Buchan , got permission from King Edward I of England to dig for lead on the island of Calf of Man to cover eight towers of the castle. Cruggleton Castle, also known as "The Black Rock of Cree", was associated with the fortress on the Cree that, according to Blind Harry , William Wallace took with his cronies Stephen of Ireland and Kerlé . In 1307 the castle was captured again by Scottish troops and then destroyed. Later in the 14th century, King David II loaned Cruggleton Castle to Gilbert Kennedy . In 1424 it was donated to the Prior and Brothers of Whithorn .
In 1563, Queen Elizabeth I's spies visited southwest Scotland to investigate the defenses of Cruggleton Castle, Wigtown Castle , Cardoness Castle and Kirkcudbright Castle . They noted that Cruggleton Castle "is currently only held by two men, but Whithorn Priory is under 20 men, albeit without artillery." They also made a colored sketch of the castle, which is now in the British Museum . It shows a high tower, which is surrounded by a curtain wall with sloping battlements and protected by a drawbridge and a portcullis .
After the Scottish Reformation , the Church's lands were divided among the nobles of Scotland. An argument broke out over Cruggleton Castle between Lord Robert Stewart, Prior of Whithorn, and John Fleming, 5th Lord Fleming , who was brought before the civil court. Even so, Stewart, an illegitimate son of King James V , was besieged by Lord Fleming in the castle. James Stewart, Earl of Moray , also an illegitimate son of Jacob V, intervened in his brother's favor by writing to Sir Patrick Vaus of Barnbarroch , forcing him to horror the castle. The dispute was settled in favor of Margaret Fleming Stewart, Mistress of Ochiltree , in the 1580s .
Cruggleton Castle was later in the hands of Sir Patrick Vaus , who died in 1598. It then fell to his son, Sir John Vaus , who passed the property on to Peter McDowall of Machermore , who in turn sold it to James Kennedy in 1606 . In the following decades the castle passed through many hands, in 1684 it was described as "completely destroyed and ruinous".
The ruins of Cruggleton Castle
Cruggleton Castle is accessible via a coastal path from the nearby Galloway House . The remains of the castle, visible from the outside today, consist of a narrow piece of barrel vault in the former tower. It is locally called "The Arch" and can be clearly seen from the B7063 road from Garlieston to the Isle of Whithorn . The masonry used to be supported with metal bands, but was recently renovated and is now up to a height of around 3 meters again. The foundations of various other buildings can be seen across the site. The outer boundaries of the mound are clearly visible; they measure about 31 × 29 meters. The wide moat across the ledge about 50 meters west of the ruins is also visible. The remains are considered a Scheduled Monument .
Cruggleton Church
Cruggleton Church is about 750 meters west of the castle ruins and is believed to indicate the approximate location of the village of Cruggleton. Fergus , Lord of Galloway, had it built at the beginning of the 12th century . It is the best preserved Romanesque church in the area. In the 1890s '' William Galloway '' restored the church, which was then in ruins, for the 3rd Marquess of Bute . The Church of Cruggleton has Historic Scotland listed as a Category A Historic Building.
Cruggleton Church from the south.
The Church of Cruggleton.
Cruggleton Church from the north.
Door to the Church of Cruggleton.
Individual evidence
- ^ Gordon Ewart et al .: Cruggleton Castle: Report of Excavations 1978-1981 . Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian Society, 1985.
- ^ Douglas, et al .: The Machars: An Archaeological Survey . Machars Archeology Project. Pp. 23-25. Retrieved June 12, 2017.
- ^ Joseph Cumming: The Isle of Man: Its History, Physical, Ecclesiastical, Civil and Legendary . J. van Voorst. 1848. Retrieved June 12, 2017.
- ↑ John Donald Carrick: Life of Sir William Wallace, of Elderslie . Constable. 1830. Retrieved June 12, 2017.
- ^ A b Brian McGarrigle: Cruggleton Castle . Retrieved June 12, 2017.
- ^ Agnew, Robert: Correspondence of Sir Patrick Waus of Barnbarroch . Ayr and Galloway Archaeological Association. S. xxxviii, 215. 1887. Retrieved June 12, 2017.
- ↑ a b Entry on Cruggleton Castle in Canmore, the database of Historic Environment Scotland (English)
- ^ Douglas, et al .: The Machars: An Archaeological Survey . Machars Archeology Project. P. 98. Retrieved June 12, 2017.
- ↑ Scheduled Monument - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
- ↑ Entry on Cruggleton Old Parish Church in Canmore, the database of Historic Environment Scotland (English)
- ↑ Cruggleton Kirk . Scotland's Churches Trust. Retrieved June 13, 2017.
- ↑ Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
Web links
Coordinates: 54 ° 45 ′ 25.8 " N , 4 ° 21 ′ 26.4" W.