Alternative Names Drummelzier Castle
Site Type CASTLE
Canmore ID 49916
Site Number NT13SW 25
NGR NT 12421 33484
Council SCOTTISH BORDERS, THE
Parish DRUMELZIER
Former Region BORDERS
Former District TWEEDDALE
Former County PEEBLES-SHIRE
Datum OSGB36 - NGR

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Notes and Activities

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Archaeological Notes

NT13SW 25 12421 33484

(NT 12421 33484) Drumelzier Castle (NR) (remains of)
OS 6" map, (1967).

The ruins of Drumelzier Castle stand within the precincts of Drumelzier Place farm, and though now roofless and incomplete, part of it is still in use as a farm building. The fabric embodies work of three main periods.
The earliest portion, at the NE side of the present complex, is now a mere fragment, and very little can be said as to the nature of the building of which it originally formed part, save that it was of late medieval date. To this original building there was added in about the mid-16th century, a rectangular SW wing, while towards the end of the same century this wing was itself extended by the addition of a small square tower to its S angle. The castle probably continued in use as a residence until the early 18th century, when a new house was built close by (NT13SW 48). the oldest portion now stands two storeys high; the rubble walls are 3'3" thick. The SW wing still rises in part to its original height of three storeys and an attic, and measures 21'10" by 21' over 4' thick rubble walls. The S tower, now the best preserved part of the castle, rises to its original height of three storeys and an attic, and measures about 15'9" square over 3'6" thick walls. (See RCAHMS plan, fig.234).
A farm building with a lean-to roof was erected in the re-entrant angle between the SW wall of the wing and NW wall of the tower during the 18th or 19th century.
The castle was erected by the Tweedies of Drumelzier, who owned the property from the early 14th century. In 1632, it passed to John, 8th Lord Hay of Yester, whose descendants retained it for two centuries.
RCAHMS 1967, visited 1962.

Drumelzier Castle is as described.
Visited by OS(RDL) 16 March 1964 and (IA) 14 August 1972.

1962	FIELD VISIT

Notes The ruins of Drumelzier Castle stand within the precincts of Drumelzier Place farm, and though now roofless and incomplete, part of it is still in use as a farm building. The fabric embodies work of three main periods.
The earliest portion, at the NE side of the present complex, is now a mere fragment, and very little can be said as to the nature of the building of which it originally formed part, save that it was of late medieval date. To this original building there was added in about the mid-16th century, a rectangular SW wing, while towards the end of the same century this wing was itself extended by the addition of a small square tower to its S angle. The castle probably continued in use as a residence until the early 18th century, when a new house was built close by (NT13SW 48). the oldest portion now stands two storeys high; the rubble walls are 3'3" thick. The SW wing still rises in part to its original height of three storeys and an attic, and measures 21'10" by 21' over 4' thick rubble walls. The S tower, now the best preserved part of the castle, rises to its original height of three storeys and an attic, and measures about 15'9" square over 3'6" thick walls. (See RCAHMS plan, fig.234). A farm building with a lean-to roof was erected in the re-entrant angle between the SW wall of the wing and NW wall of the tower during the 18th or 19th century. The castle was erected by the Tweedies of Drumelzier, who owned the property from the early 14th century. In 1632, it passed to John, 8th Lord Hay of Yester, whose descendants retained it for two centuries.

Further details

16 March 1964

FIELD VISIT

Notes Drumelzier Castle is as described.
Visited by OS(RDL) 16 March 1964.

Further details

14 August 1972

FIELD VISIT

Notes Drumelzier Castle is as described.
Visited by OS (IA) 14 August 1972.

Further details

 

Books and References

MacGibbon and Ross, D and T (1887-92) The castellated and domestic architecture of Scotland from the twelfth to the eighteenth centuries, 5v Edinburgh
Page(s): Vol.3, 553-4 Held at RCAHMS F.5.21.MAC

Maxwell-Irving, A M T (1974) 'Early firearms and their influence on the military and domestic architecture of the Borders', Proc Soc Antiq Scot, vol.103
Page(s): 206-8, 209, 212, 220 Held at RCAHMS D.1.MAX.P

RCAHMS (1967a) The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. Peeblesshire: an inventory of the ancient monuments, 2v Edinburgh
Page(s): 229-31, No.499 Plan, fig.234 Held at RCAHMS A.1.1.INV/17

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