Alternative Names Pumpherston Castle
Site type CASTLE, DOVECOT
Canmore ID 49065
Site Number NT06NE 6
NGR NT 075 686
Council WEST LOTHIAN
Parish MID CALDER
Former Region LOTHIAN
Former District WEST LOTHIAN
Former County MIDLOTHIAN

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Archaeological Notes

NT06NE 6 075 686.

An ancient building stood a short distance from Pumpherston farm (NT 075 686). Its foundations were completely removed over 60 years ago, and there are no local traditions concerning it.
Name Book 1853

Pumpherston estate was at one time the seat of a baronial residence of considerable strength and proportions. Sommers (New Statistical Account [NSA] 1845) refers to Pumpherston Castle as a work of great antiquity, adding that it had long been in ruins, and lately entirely removed. This building is marked in Blaeu's Atlas, 1662, and formerly stood in a field of about 15 acres in extent, E of the present farm-steading, which is still surrounded by a park wall of stone and lime. The SE corner of the field is very fertile and is regarded as the garden of the castle. A dovecot formerly stood within the same enclosure, in front of the farmhouse, and an ancient keep or look-out tower occupied a situation at the top of the bank rising from the river Almond.
H B M'Call 1894

No structure relating to these buildings was found. No further information.
Visited by OS (DWR) 28 March 1974

McCall, H B (1894) The history and antiquities of the parish of Mid-Calder with some account of the religious house of Torphichen, founded upon record, Edinburgh
Page(s): 178 Held at RCAHMS D.7.22.MID

NSA (1834-1845) The new statistical account of Scotland by the ministers of the respective parishes under the superintendence of a committee of the society for the benefit of the sons and daughters of the clergy, 15v Edinburgh
Page(s): Vol.1 (Edinburgh), 370-1 Held at RCAHMS B.2.2.STA

Ordnance Survey (Name Book) Object Name Books of the Ordnance Survey (6 inch and 1/2500 scale)
Page(s): Book No.9, 52 Held at RCAHMS Ref