- Ballencrieff Castle
Ballencrieff Castle, also known as Ballencrieff House, is a large
tower house at Ballencrieff,East Lothian ,Scotland . It is located three miles north west ofHaddington , and one mile south ofAberlady .The castle was built in 1507 when King James IV ordered his private secretary James Murray to build himself a fortified hourse at Ballencrieff. It was destroyed in or around 1545, and rebuilt by his son, also John Murray, in 1586. General James Murray, a Governor of
Canada , was born there in 1721. The house burnt down accidentally in 1868, and stood roofless until it was restored between 1992 and 1997. It is now privately owned, and it is situated next to afree range rare breed pig farm.The long, rectangular-plan, tower has three storeys, including a vaulted basement, with a near-symmetrical north front. The tall, narrow south-east wing has
crow-step gables. The castle, along with itswalled garden and pavilion, is a category Blisted building . [cite web |url=http://hsewsf.sedsh.gov.uk/hslive/portal.hsstart?P_HBNUM=6529 |title=Ballencrieff House Listed Building Report |publisher=Historic Scotland |accessdate=2008-06-05] During restoration works, 16th-century gun holes and wooden draw-bars on the windows, were discovered in the ruins. The remains of two early 17th-century moulded plaster ceilings, and the remnants of an elaborate fireplace, were found on the first floor. [cite web |url=http://www.rcahms.gov.uk/pls/portal/newcanmore.newcandig_details_gis?inumlink=54910 |title=Ballencrieff House, NMRS Number: NT47NE 5.00 |publisher=RCAHMS |accessdate=2008-06-05]References
*cite web |url=http://www.countrylife.co.uk/culture/article/73147/Ballencrieff_Castle.html |title=Ballencrieff Castle |work=
Country Life |date=13 January 2006 |author=Penny Churchill
accessdate=2008-06-05External links
* [http://www.scotland-info.co.uk/tranter.htm Nigel Tranter Albavision Video of Ballencrieff Castle restoration]
* [http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/667965 Geograph photo of Ballencrieff Castle]
* [http://www.rcahms.gov.uk/pls/portal/newcanmore.newcandig_p_coll_details?p_arcnumlink=1072466 Pre-restoration view of Ballencrieff Castle]
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