- Cranshaws Castle
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Cranshaws Castle 
Cranshaws CastleCoordinates: 55°50′54″N 2°30′34″W / 55.8484°N 2.5094°WCoordinates: 55°50′54″N 2°30′34″W / 55.8484°N 2.5094°W Listed Building – Category A Designated: 9 June 1971 Reference #: 4093 
Location in the Scottish BordersCranshaws 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.[1]
Contents
History
Originally part of the territory of the Earldom of Dunbar and March, 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.[2] 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).
Construction
A rectangular keep, 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.
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.[3] It is also supposed to be inhabited by a Brownie.[4]
References
Notes
- ^ "Cranshaws Castle: Listed Building Report". Historic Scotland. http://hsewsf.sedsh.gov.uk/hslive/hsstart?P_HBNUM=4093. Retrieved 20 September 2011.
- ^ Fraser, vol i p.364
- ^ Groome, vol i p.260
- ^ Coventry, p.133
Sources
- Coventry, Martin (1997). The Castles of Scotland (2nd ed.). Edinburgh: Goblinshead.
- Fraser, Sir W. (1885). The Douglas Book. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. http://www.archive.org/details/douglasbook01fras.
- Groome, F.H. (1884). Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland : a survey of Scottish topography, statistical, biographical, and historical. Edinburgh. http://www.archive.org/details/topographicalsta01edinuoft.
External links
Categories:- Castles in the Scottish Borders
- Listed buildings in the Scottish Borders
- Listed castles in Scotland
- Peel towers in the Scottish Borders
- Category A listed buildings in Scotland
- Scotland castle stubs
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