Castle Cary Castle
Encyclopedia
Castle Cary Castle, is a fifteenth-century tower house
, about 6 miles (9.7 km) from Falkirk
, in the former county of Stirlingshire
, Scotland
. It is located on the site of one of the principal forts of the Roman
Antonine Wall
.
, and was then acquired by the Baillie
s. In 1730, the castle passed to Thomas Dunbar of Fingask, through his marriage to Bethia Baillie.
The castle was burned by a party of Jacobites
during the 1715 rebellion
. The antiquary Alexander Baillie was probably born in Castle Cary Castle, and it was from this castle that his sister, Lizzie, eloped with Donald Graham, a Highland
farmer, by leaping into his plaid (Belted plaid
). The castle later became the property of the Marquess of Zetland
.
in the late 15th century, incorporating stone from a nearby Roman fort. The original wing was destroyed, then during the 17th century, a wing was added to the east of the tower; it bears the date 1679. This was two storeys high, and had an attic, as well as a turnpike stair. Both the main tower and the extension have a pitched roof and crow-stepped gable
s, and the original tower has a restored parapet
which is crenellated. There is a machicolated projection at the east end of the north wall, at parapet level, although its defensive value would have been limited, as it was not placed above the entrance. It is, however, more likely that this feature is a Garderobe
.
A turnpike stair leads from the north entrance to the parapet, where there is a cap-house from which the attic may be entered. There is a barrel-vaulted cellar on the ground floor. Traces of 18th century wall painting may be seen in the Hall, which also has the bases and moulded jambs of the fireplace. An iron grille, part of the original defences of the door, is preserved within.
Beneath the 17th-century extension, there is a 7.5 metres (24.6 ft) wide ditch which was filled in for the construction of the wing. It may have been contemporary with the 1485 structure.
Tower house
A tower house is a particular type of stone structure, built for defensive purposes as well as habitation.-History:Tower houses began to appear in the Middle Ages, especially in mountain or limited access areas, in order to command and defend strategic points with reduced forces...
, about 6 miles (9.7 km) from Falkirk
Falkirk
Falkirk is a town in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies in the Forth Valley, almost midway between the two most populous cities of Scotland; north-west of Edinburgh and north-east of Glasgow....
, in the former county of Stirlingshire
Stirlingshire
Stirlingshire or the County of Stirling is a registration county of Scotland, based around Stirling, the former county town. It borders Perthshire to the north, Clackmannanshire and West Lothian to the east, Lanarkshire to the south, and Dunbartonshire to the south-west.Until 1975 it was a county...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. It is located on the site of one of the principal forts of the Roman
Roman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
Antonine Wall
Antonine Wall
The Antonine Wall is a stone and turf fortification built by the Romans across what is now the Central Belt of Scotland, between the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Clyde. Representing the northernmost frontier barrier of the Roman Empire, it spanned approximately 39 miles and was about ten feet ...
.
History
The tower, about 40 feet (12.2 m) high, is thought have been built by Henry Livingstone of Myddillbynning in the period before 1485. For the 16th and the early part of the 17th centuries it belonged to the Livingstones of DunipaceDunipace
Dunipace is a village in the west of the Falkirk council area of Scotland. The village is south of Stirling and north-west of Falkirk. The village is situated on the north bank of the River Carron and adjoins the town of Denny to the south of the river....
, and was then acquired by the Baillie
Baillie (surname)
Baillie is a surname of Scottish origin:*Baillie of Jerviswood , Scottish conspirator*Sir Adrian Baillie, 6th Baronet , British politician*Albert Victor Baillie, Anglican clergyman*Alec Baillie, American bassist...
s. In 1730, the castle passed to Thomas Dunbar of Fingask, through his marriage to Bethia Baillie.
The castle was burned by a party of Jacobites
Jacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
during the 1715 rebellion
Jacobite rising
The Jacobite Risings were a series of uprisings, rebellions, and wars in Great Britain and Ireland occurring between 1688 and 1746. The uprisings were aimed at returning James VII of Scotland and II of England, and later his descendants of the House of Stuart, to the throne after he was deposed by...
. The antiquary Alexander Baillie was probably born in Castle Cary Castle, and it was from this castle that his sister, Lizzie, eloped with Donald Graham, a Highland
Scottish Highlands
The Highlands is an historic region of Scotland. The area is sometimes referred to as the "Scottish Highlands". It was culturally distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands...
farmer, by leaping into his plaid (Belted plaid
Belted plaid
The belted plaid is a large blanket-like piece of fabric which is wrapped around one's body with the material pleated or, more accurately, loosely gathered and secured at the waist by means of a belt...
). The castle later became the property of the Marquess of Zetland
Marquess of Zetland
Marquess of Zetland is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 22 August 1892 for the former Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Lawrence Dundas, 3rd Earl of Zetland. Zetland is an archaic spelling of Shetland. The Dundas family descends from the wealthy Scottish businessman and...
.
Description
The castle originated as a rectangular tower with a lower wing, forming an L-shape, and was built from rubbleRubble
Rubble is broken stone, of irregular size, shape and texture. This word is closely connected in derivation with "rubbish", which was formerly also applied to what we now call "rubble". Rubble naturally found in the soil is known also as brash...
in the late 15th century, incorporating stone from a nearby Roman fort. The original wing was destroyed, then during the 17th century, a wing was added to the east of the tower; it bears the date 1679. This was two storeys high, and had an attic, as well as a turnpike stair. Both the main tower and the extension have a pitched roof and crow-stepped gable
Crow-stepped gable
A Stepped gable, Crow-stepped gable, or Corbie step is a stair-step type of design at the top of the triangular gable-end of a building...
s, and the original tower has a restored parapet
Parapet
A parapet is a wall-like barrier at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony or other structure. Where extending above a roof, it may simply be the portion of an exterior wall that continues above the line of the roof surface, or may be a continuation of a vertical feature beneath the roof such as a...
which is crenellated. There is a machicolated projection at the east end of the north wall, at parapet level, although its defensive value would have been limited, as it was not placed above the entrance. It is, however, more likely that this feature is a Garderobe
Garderobe
The term garderobe describes a place where clothes and other items are stored, and also a medieval toilet. In European public places, a garderobe denotes the cloakroom, wardrobe, alcove or an armoire. In Danish, Dutch, German and Spanish garderobe can mean a cloakroom. In Latvian it means checkroom...
.
A turnpike stair leads from the north entrance to the parapet, where there is a cap-house from which the attic may be entered. There is a barrel-vaulted cellar on the ground floor. Traces of 18th century wall painting may be seen in the Hall, which also has the bases and moulded jambs of the fireplace. An iron grille, part of the original defences of the door, is preserved within.
Beneath the 17th-century extension, there is a 7.5 metres (24.6 ft) wide ditch which was filled in for the construction of the wing. It may have been contemporary with the 1485 structure.
External links
- Castlecary Castle, Falkirk Local History Society