The Castles of Scotland by Martin Coventry | Goblinshead | A comprehensive guide to 4,100 castles, towers, historic houses, stately homes and family lands
The Castles of Scotland by Martin Coventry | Goblinshead | A comprehensive guide to 4,100 castles, towers, historic houses, stately homes and family lands
The Castles of Scotland
The Castles of Scotland 

Amisfield Tower

Dumfriesshire: About 5.5 miles north of Dumfries, on minor roads 1 mile north of A701 at Amisfield village, at Amisfield Tower.

 

Private   NX 992838   OS: 78   DG1 3PA

 

OPEN: Gardens occcasionally open as part of Scotland's Garden Scheme.

Web: www.scotlandsgardens.org

Amisfield Tower, a large, impressive, well-preserved and elaborate old tower house, by Amisfield House, a later mansion, long a property of the Charteris family, and located in a fine spot near Dumfries in southern Scotland. Amisfield Tower (RCAHMCS, 1920)

One of the most impressive and well-preserved of all Border castles, Amisfield Tower is a 16th-century tower house, square in plan, of four storeys and an attic and garret, with a profusion of corbelling and turrets. The roof is steeply pitched. A round stair-tower projects, above first-floor level, and is corbelled out to square at the parapet. A gabled watch-tower crowns one corner, while the other three corners have bartizans with conical roofs. A machicolation defends the entrance.

Plans, Amisfield Tower, a large, impressive, well-preserved and elaborate old tower house, by Amisfield House, a later mansion, long a property of the Charteris family, and located in a fine spot near Dumfries in southern Scotland. Amisfield Tower: plans (RCAHMCS, 1920)
Painted frieze, Amisfield Tower, a large, impressive, well-preserved and elaborate old tower house, by Amisfield House, a later mansion, long a property of the Charteris family, and located in a fine spot near Dumfries in southern Scotland. Amisfield Tower: painted frieze in hall (RCAHMCS, 1920)

The basement is vaulted. The hall, on the first floor, has three windows and a garderobe. A turnpike stair, in one corner, leads to the floors above, which have fine fireplaces and tempera wall-painting. There is a fine old carved door, dated 1600, and believed to show Daniel wrestling the lion, though this may be an allusion to the Scots ‘wrestling’ with the English. The door is now in the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.

Carved door, Amisfield Tower, a large, impressive, well-preserved and elaborate old tower house, by Amisfield House, a later mansion, long a property of the Charteris family, and located in a fine spot near Dumfries in southern Scotland. Amisfield Tower: carved door of 1600 (RCAHMCS, 1920)
Amisfield Tower is a large, impressive, well-preserved and elaborate old tower house, by Amisfield House, a later mansion, long a property of the Charteris family, and located in a fine spot near Dumfries in southern Scotland. Amisfield Tower (MacGibbon and Ross)

The site is marked on Blaeu’s map of Nithsdale as ‘Hempsseill or Amisfeeld’.
  The Charteris family held the lands from the 13th century, and one of the family, Thomas de Charteris, was Chancellor to Alexander II. They built the tower, although there was probably a stronghold here from the 12th century. 

Elevation and plan, Amisfield Tower is a large, impressive, well-preserved and elaborate old tower house, by Amisfield House, a later mansion, long a property of the Charteris family, and located in a fine spot near Dumfries in southern Scotland. Amisfield Tower: elevation and section (RCAHMCS, 1920)

The family feuded with the Kilpatricks of Kirkmichael, and Roger Kilpatrick was murdered in 1526. Sir Robert Charteris of Amisfield fought a duel with Sir James Douglas of Drumlanrig in 1530. Amisfield House [NX 992838] was built nearby in 1631, although it was much remodelled in the 19th century as a two-storey and a basement symmetrical mansion, although incorporating the older house.

Amisfield Tower is a large, impressive, well-preserved and elaborate old tower house, by Amisfield House, a later mansion, long a property of the Charteris family, and located in a fine spot near Dumfries in southern Scotland. Amisfield Tower (RCAHMCS, 1920)

In 1636 the property passed to John Dalziel of Newton. The Dalziels were active Royalists during the Civil War, and Captain Alexander Dalziel was executed in 1650. In 1669 Sir Robert and John Dalzell had a ratification for the lands and barony of Amisfield, with the tower, fortalice, manor place etc.

Amisfield Tower, a large, impressive, well-preserved and elaborate old tower house, by Amisfield House, a later mansion, long a property of the Charteris family, and located in a fine spot near Dumfries in southern Scotland. Amisfield Tower and House (Grose, 1789)

The property returned to the Charteris family, and Thomas Charteris of Amisfield is on record in 1685. They held the castle until sold in 1904. The family purchased the property of Newmills, near Haddington, and built Amisfield House in 1755 (demolished in 1928), and by marriage became Earls of Wemyss and March (see Gosford House).
  The Charteris family have a burial enclosure at Tinwald [NY 002816].

New sixth edition in preparation: more than 1,500 additional sites, hundreds more illustrations, comprehensive online maps and indexes, and much much more.

Due for 2024, and still a huge amount of work to do … more info to follow soon.

Check any and all opening and access information with the sites themselves…

Contact

Goblinshead

Cockenzie House
22 Edinburgh Road
Cockenzie

EH32 0HY

 

Email: info@thecastlesofscotland.co.uk

 

Or use our contact form.

Spring is here, Red tulips from Cockenzie House Spring is here…
Print | Sitemap
© Martin Coventry