Uttershill Castle

Uttershill Castle is a ruinous 16th-century tower house, about 0.5 miles (0.80 km) south of Penicuik, Midlothian, Scotland, south of the river North Esk, and west of the Black Burn.[1]

Uttershill Castle in 2009.

Alternative names are Utters Hill and Outtershill Castle.[2]

History

The property belonged to the Prestons of Gorton and Craigmillar. In 1646 the Countess of Eglinton lived here.[1] It was purchased by the Clerks of Penicuik in 1702.[1] The castle was a ruin prior to the start of the 19th century, although it was used as a gunpowder store.[1][3]

The excavation was carried out in October 1994, in advance of a proposed restoration programme.[2]

Structure

The castle stands on a level base, bounded to the north-east by a scarp slope, about 0.8 metres (2 ft 7 in) high.[2] The castle had two storeys[1] or more,[2] and may have had a courtyard. It had a vaulted basement, and a hall on the first storey, reached by a straight stair. In the 17th century an unvaulted kitchen, with a chamber above, was added,[1] but it has long since been demolished.[2] The castle was built of freestone rubble, and was probably harled. It was rectangular, measuring externally 65 feet (20 m) north east to south west by 23 feet (7.0 m).[2] The entrance was at ground level on the south side.[4]

See also

References
  1. Coventry, Martin (1997) The Castles of Scotland. Goblinshead. ISBN 1-899874-10-0 p.322
  2. "Uttershill Castle". Canmore. Retrieved 2017-09-23.
  3. Liz Hanson (15 October 2015). Midlothian Through Time. Amberley Publishing Limited. pp. 42–4. ISBN 978-1-4456-3512-5.
  4. "Uttershill Castle". Stravaiging around Scotland. Retrieved 2017-09-23.

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