Accessibility

Font Size

100% 150% 200%

Background Colour

Default Contrast
Close Reset

Bannachra Castle

Tower House (15th Century)

Site Name Bannachra Castle

Classification Tower House (15th Century)

Alternative Name(s) Banachra Castle

Canmore ID 42507

Site Number NS38SW 3

NGR NS 34265 84301

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/42507

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
Canmore Disclaimer. © Copyright and database right 2024.

Toggle Aerial | View on large map

Digital Images

Administrative Areas

  • Council Argyll And Bute
  • Parish Luss
  • Former Region Strathclyde
  • Former District Dumbarton
  • Former County Dunbartonshire

Archaeology Notes

NS38SW 3 34264 84304.

(NS 3426 8430) Bannachra Castle (NR) (Ruins)

OS 6" map (1923)

Bannachra Castle is a very ruinous 16th century structure of plain rectangular plan, measuring 46 feet by 23 feet, and with walls 3 feet 9 inches thick. It was destroyed in 1592.

D MacGibbon and T Ross 1889

Bannachra Castle - dimensions as above the west wall is some 30ft high another N-S walls very from 6 - 28ft height. The east wall is a fragment in the NE angle 6ft long and 2 1/2ft high.

Visited by OS (DS) 25 September 1956

NS 3426 8430 A small-scale excavation was undertaken on 18 August 2007 to ascertain the relationship between the

remains of a wall and the scheduled tower house, Bannachra Castle. The ruinous 16th-century laird's house has been altered by later Victorian garden landscaping. The wall, which lies outwith the scheduled area, was examined as possibly being the remains of a defensive enclosure wall. The excavation revealed however that the wall was rather ramshackle in nature, constructed from pieces of the castle itself and even later structures from the site, possibly the earlier Bannachra house. It may be that this wall was related to the Victorian garden landscaping although it could be even later. The excavation was undertaken as part of a research project working with school children to develop skills

in investigating the past using material remains. The project also included the children participating in standing building recording of the ruin itself.

Archive to be deposited with RCAHMS.

Funder: University College of London.

Sarah Philips, 2007.

Activities

Field Visit (August 1977)

Bannachra Castle NS 342 843 NS38SW 3

This castle is an oblong, three-storey structure of 16th-century date, now in ruinous condition.

RCAHMS 1978, visited August 1977

(MacGibbon and Ross, 1887-92, iii, 445-7)

Excavation (18 August 2007)

NS 3426 8430 A small-scale excavation was undertaken on 18 August 2007 to ascertain the relationship between the remains of a wall and the scheduled tower house, Bannachra Castle. The ruinous 16th-century laird's house has been altered by later Victorian garden landscaping. The wall, which lies outwith the scheduled area, was examined as possibly being the remains of a defensive enclosure wall. The excavation revealed however that the wall was rather ramshackle in nature, constructed from pieces of the castle itself and even later structures from the site, possibly the earlier Bannachra house. It may be that this wall was related to the Victorian garden landscaping although it could be even later. The excavation was undertaken as part of a research project working with school children to develop skills in investigating the past using material remains. The project also included the children participating in standing building recording of the ruin itself.

Archive to be deposited with RCAHMS.

Funder: University College of London.

References

MyCanmore Image Contributions


Contribute an Image

MyCanmore Text Contributions