Stranraer Castle
Stranraer Castle , also Castle of Saint John , is a tower house in the Scottish town of Stranraer in the Council Area Dumfries and Galloway . In 1972 the building was included in the Scottish monument lists in the highest monument category A. An additional classification as a Scheduled Monument was lifted in 2005.
history
The defense tower was built around 1510 by Ninian Adair of Kinhilt . The family, originally from Ireland , immigrated to Scotland in the course of the 13th century and had earned a high social reputation. Around 1600 Stranraer Castle was increased. The cantilevered battlement, with which the building once closed, was retained and today divides the facade horizontally. In the course of the housing of the city prison in Stranraer Castle in 1821, redesigns were necessary. In the late 1980s, the Tower House was restored and a visitor center was set up.
description
The Tower House is in a square in the center of Stranraer at the junction of Castle Street and George Street . Stranraer Castle has an L-shaped floor plan with leg lengths of 10.7 m and 8.5 m. The three-story quarry stone structure with details made of reddish natural stone is 23.5 meters high.
The narrow windows are arranged irregularly. Some of the arched windows on the upper floors date from the 1820s and were part of the prison cells. The final all-round crenellated reinforcement is also continued over the monopitch roof of the house on top. A roof turret sits on the eaves with a bell.
On the ground floor there are two rooms with barrel vaults . Several loopholes are embedded in the outer walls . The upper floors are accessible via a spiral staircase in the protruding stair tower. The large hall on the first floor is designed with stone vaults and an open fireplace on the north side. Various renovations were necessary to set up two prison cells on the second floor. A narrow room has been converted into a corridor that gives access to two cells. The access to the third cell is located directly on the stairs. The cells have tunnel vaults and iron-studded wooden doors.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
- ↑ a b Entry on Stranraer Castle in Canmore, the database of Historic Environment Scotland (English)
Web links
- Entry on Stranraer Castle in Canmore, Historic Environment Scotland database
Coordinates: 54 ° 54 '15.8 " N , 5 ° 1' 33.6" W.