Cranshaws Castle
Encyclopedia
Cranshaws Castle or Cranshaws Tower is a privately owned 15th-century pele
situated by the village of Cranshaws
in Berwickshire
, Scotland
. The building is still in use as a residence, and is protected as a category A listed building.
, Cranshaws became the property of Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas (1372–1424). Douglas in turn bestowed it upon Sir John Swinton, 14th of that Ilk
in 1401. Following Swinton's death at the Battle of Homildon Hill the following year, the lands passed to his son Sir John Swinton, 15th of that Ilk
, who it is supposed built the original castle.
The castle was reacquired by another branch of the Douglas family, the Earls of Morton
in the 18th century, and there were extensive renovations carried out by George Douglas, 13th Earl of Morton
(1662–1738).
, the castle has four storeys and rounded corners. The castle originally would have had a defensive barmkin
of which there is no remnant. Its crenellated parapet is thought to have been built in the late 19th century when the castle had been sold on by the Mortons.
.
Peel tower
Peel towers are small fortified keeps or tower houses, built along the English and Scottish borders in the Scottish Marches and North of England, intended as watch towers where signal fires could be lit by the garrison to warn of approaching danger...
situated by the village of Cranshaws
Cranshaws
Cranshaws is a village on the B6355, near Duns, in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, in the former Berwickshire.Of Cranshaws Castle only the tower remains, at Cranshaws Farm on Cranshaws Hill....
in Berwickshire
Berwickshire
Berwickshire or the County of Berwick is a registration county, a committee area of the Scottish Borders Council, and a lieutenancy area of Scotland, on the border with England. The town after which it is named—Berwick-upon-Tweed—was lost by Scotland to England in 1482...
, 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...
. The building is still in use as a residence, and is protected as a category A listed building.
History
Originally part of the territory of the Earldom of Dunbar and MarchEarl of Dunbar
The title Earl of Dunbar, also called Earl of Lothian or Earl of March, was the head of a comital lordship in south-eastern Scotland between the early 12th century and the early 15th century. The first man to use the title of Earl in this earldom was Gospatric II, Earl of Lothian, son of Gospatric,...
, Cranshaws became the property of Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas (1372–1424). Douglas in turn bestowed it upon Sir John Swinton, 14th of that Ilk
Sir John Swinton, 14th of that Ilk
Sir John Swinton, great-grandson of Henry de Swinton who appears on the Ragman Roll, was a distinguished soldier and statesman in the reigns of Robert II of Scotland and Robert III of Scotland. -France, Hundred Years War:...
in 1401. Following Swinton's death at the Battle of Homildon Hill the following year, the lands passed to his son Sir John Swinton, 15th of that Ilk
Sir John Swinton, 15th of that Ilk
Sir John Swinton, 15th of that Ilk was a son of Sir John Swinton, 14th of that Ilk and Princess Margaret, daughter of Robert, Duke of Albany who served as Regent....
, who it is supposed built the original castle.
The castle was reacquired by another branch of the Douglas family, the Earls of Morton
Earl of Morton
The title Earl of Morton was created in the Peerage of Scotland in 1458 for James Douglas of Dalkeith. Along with it, the title Lord Aberdour was granted. This latter title is the courtesy title for the eldest son and heir to the Earl of Morton....
in the 18th century, and there were extensive renovations carried out by George Douglas, 13th Earl of Morton
George Douglas, 13th Earl of Morton
George Douglas, 13th Earl of Morton , styled The Honourable George Douglas between 1681 and 1730, was a British peer and politician.-Background:...
(1662–1738).
Construction
A rectangular keepKeep
A keep is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word keep, but usually consider it to refer to large towers in castles that were fortified residences, used as a refuge of last resort should the rest of the...
, the castle has four storeys and rounded corners. The castle originally would have had a defensive barmkin
Barmkin
Barmkin, also spelled barmekin or barnekin, is a Scots word which refers to a form of medieval and later defensive enclosure, typically found around smaller castles, tower houses, pele towers, and bastle houses in Scotland, and the north of England. It has been suggested that etymologically the...
of which there is no remnant. Its crenellated parapet is thought to have been built in the late 19th century when the castle had been sold on by the Mortons.
Literature and folklore
Cranshaws Castle is thought to be the inspiration for "Ravenswood Castle", the home of Edgar, hero of Sir Walter Scott's tragedy the Bride of Lammermoor. It is also supposed to be inhabited by a BrownieBrownie (folklore)
A brownie/brounie or urisk or brùnaidh, ùruisg, or gruagach is a legendary creature popular in folklore around Scotland and England...
.