Description

Tower house ingeniously remodelled and upper floors rebuilt
in double pile arrangement, circa 1605 (datestone) lower
2-storey part of (?15th century) straightforward large
rectangular-plan tower; now 5 storeys. Abandoned by at
least first quarter 19th century, re-roofed (slated), and
restoration in progress 1988. Rubble-built with ashlar
dressings, regularly positioned openings mostly roll-moulded
or chamfered, some with iron grilles. Round-headed door at
E end of N wall (corbel table suggests original entrance at
1st floor, replaced by window) presumably contemporary with
rebuilding (mainly in ashlar) of NE angle to accommodate
internal stair.
Double-ridged roof with crow-stepped twin gables (no
parapets), corbelled bartizans over outer angles have
cable-moulding; stacks over gables and over E and W flank
wallheads.
INTERIOR: 2 lower vaulted floors have massively thick
(9'-10') walls; consoled Renaissance fireplace on 1st floor W
wall, wheel stair in SE angle with prison underneath. Upper
floors of particular interest with full-length central corridor
(spine walls constructed on relieving arches) below roof
gully, with rooms leading off.

Statement of Interest

Seat of the Jardines of Applegarth who built Jardine Hall on

the opposite river bank early 19th century.

Double-pile plan is unusual for date. Inventory notes

related stones at Luce (now at Denbie) taken from Spedlins,

one dated 1578, suggesting works about then, one stone

dated 1700.

MacGibbon and Ross note similarity of fireplace with one at

Newark Castle, (on the Clyde), also an advanced building

for its date; these fireplaces seem to derive from Serlio's

published patterns.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17571248

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 Care and Repair
• 
  Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: Vale and Forest of Dean Pt. 2 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Setting up a Listed Building Heritage Partnership Agreement: Historic England Advice Note 5
• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)