Redhouse Castle

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Redhouse Castle
Archway to the forecourt; behind the entrance portal with cornices

Redhouse Castle , formerly also Red Spittal , is the ruin of a tower house near the Scottish town of Longniddry in the East Lothian Council Area . The complex is listed as a Scheduled Monument . A former inclusion in the Scottish List of Monuments in the highest category A was revoked in 2015.

history

Similar to the Ballencrieff Granary , there may be a connection between Redhouse Castle and a 13th century hospital dedicated to St. Cuthbert near Ballencrieff . The oldest parts of the Tower House date back to the late 16th century, when the lands were owned by the Douglas clan . Probably before 1607, when the lands fell to John Laing , the southern flank was completed in today's dimensions. Laing added the more complex north side before Tower House was married to Clan Hamilton . In the aftermath of the Second Jacobite Rising , the Hamiltons lost parts of their estates, including Redhouse Castle. The Tower House fell to Patrick Murray, 2nd Lord Elibank and has been unused since then. In 1825 it was incorporated into the Gosford House grounds. The ruin was stabilized in the 1990s.

description

The ruins of Redhouse Castle are located on the Redhouse Burn stream about two kilometers east of Longniddry. The four-storey Tower House occupies an area of ​​15 m × 10 m and is partially preserved up to a height of eleven meters. There is a fortified courtyard on the southeast side. The masonry consists of rubble from the red sandstone . The entrance is on the south side. It is designed with cornices with the inscription "NISI DOMINUS FRUSTRA" and the initials "MIL" and "RD". In contrast to the oldest parts of the building, on the extension from the 17th century, fluted cornices subdivide the facade horizontally on the north and west sides . A corner tour cantilevered over the northeast edge . A coat of arms plate is embedded on the south side. The gables are designed as a stepped gable . The entrance portal to the forecourt consists of a profiled round arch .

Pigeon house

Redhouse Castle pigeon house

The pigeon house was added in the early 17th century. The red sandstone structure is integrated into the courtyard's fortification wall. The masonry is designed with two cornices and was once plastered with Harl . A massive wall divides the interior of the building in the middle. The rooms are accessible via two doors on the first floor on the south side. They once contained 399 nest boxes each. An extension was added later on the north side.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Scheduled Monument - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
  2. ↑ a b c Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
  3. ↑ a b Entry on Redhouse Castle  in Canmore, the database of Historic Environment Scotland (English)
  4. ↑ Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .

Web links

Commons : Redhouse Castle  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Coordinates: 55 ° 59 ′ 0.8 ″  N , 2 ° 51 ′ 46.1 ″  W.