Description

Late 16th or early 17th century L-plan tower-house; 3 storeys
and attics. Random rubble walling with roughly squared
quoins, and slate roofs. A 2-storey mid 17th-century (1655)
addition formerly adjoined W gable, demolished circa 1850;
single-storey 19th-century rubble-built steading abuts jamb
to S.
Access to the tower is by depressed-arch doorway in
re-entrant angle; above rises stair-turret supported on
roughly cut rows of corbels. This rises to full-height, being
further corbelled out at 2nd floor resting on 4 bull-nosed
corbels. Cat-slide turret-roof incorporated into main roof.
The windows to the 1st floor hall probably mid 17th-century
enlargements with roll-moulded jambs. Otherwise window and
door openings with bull-nosed chamfering. To N-elevation 2
1st floor windows with restored roll-moulded jambs. Below
easternmost 1st floor window to S an inserted stone dated
1655 and inscribed WG MH (William Gordon, Mary Hope) pierced
by a circular hole has been resited from W addition.The gable
line of this wing abutting the main tower can clearly be
seen, along with a blocked communicating door to 1st floor.
Interior: stone barrel-vaulted cellars to ground floor, wheel
stair occupies whole of jamb to 1st floor level. Remains of
fine 17th-century timber panelling to hall, part of Ionic
pilaster flanking fireplace and some cornice details survive.
Turret stair gives access to upper floors, timber joists and
boards in poor condition. The newel-posts of both stairs have
collapsed.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Earlston Castle at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q17569604

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Old House Handbook 2 Books Bundle Collection (Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair,Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability)
• 
  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
• 
  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)
• 
  The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living