Hoddom Castle, Cummertrees, Dumfries and Galloway

Description

Large asymmetrical mansion, nucleus a fine L-plan 16th

century tower house, main (S) courtyard W walls, gateway and

turrets largely 17th century; circa 1826 additions by William

Burn to S and to W of tower largely demolished circa 1970;

extensive neo-Jacobean 1, 2 and 3-storey additions to N and

to W built 1878-1891 (dated throughout), some, at least, by

Wardrop and Anderson circa 1886; additions mainly comprising

open stable court, service ranges to N beyond: now run as a

holiday centre for caravan park; tower is abandoned. Small

driveway bridge to S (above fosse bridge) possibly 17th/18th

century.

TOWER: various alterations particularly at upper level and

to interior; fantastic skyline probably 18th century. 4

storeys with attic and corbelled parapets, jamb corbelled 2

storeys higher with conical roofed bartizans and 19th century

cap-house; parapet encloses slated and crow-stepped-gabled

main roof. Massively thick red ashlar walls, openings mostly roll-moulded: deep raggles and door slappings where later

ranges abutted. Rope-moulded doorway in re-entrant angle;

wide horizontal gunports at ground; some upper floor windows

enlarged.

INTERIOR: vaulted ground floor; spacious turnpike within

jamb (narrower at upper floors); central partition wall at

each level; some mural chambers.

MAIN COURTYARD: (to S and W of tower) W wall with 2-storey

drum turret at either end, that to N 17th century (upper part

rebuilt circa 1975) and vaulted at ground; roll-moulded wide segmental-arched gateway with ball finials and bellcote all

probably 17th century; gateway to S and castellated

Tudor-arched fosse bridge all probably by Burn. All rubble

and ashlar.

19TH CENTURY ADDITIONS: mostly stugged red ashlar with

polished dressings; some mullioned windows; corbelled

parapets, raised over gables. Tall gabled bay to N of tower

(with shaped and finialled skews) probably by Burn;

corresponding (1889) bay to N linked by (1889) stable (now a

bar) with cast-iron columned shelter to court: latter walled

at W, 2-storey blocks flanking gate, with dummy

machicolations, also by Burn. Service ranges to N mostly

single storey, in similar style and dated 1891.

DRIVEWAY BRIDGE: short segmental arch over stream; all

rubble-built; widened, probably circa 1826.

Statement of Interest

Category A for quality of tower.

Additions by Burn for General Sharpe of Hoddom; later work

for Brook of Huddersfield who purchased Hoddom in 1877.

Requisitioned by the military, and since unoccupied.

External Links

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