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Cockburn's Castle, Henderland

Building(S) (Period Unassigned), Tower House (Medieval)

Site Name Cockburn's Castle, Henderland

Classification Building(S) (Period Unassigned), Tower House (Medieval)

Alternative Name(s) Henderland Burn

Canmore ID 51229

Site Number NT22SW 2

NGR NT 22971 23507

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/51229

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
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Administrative Areas

  • Council Scottish Borders, The
  • Parish Yarrow
  • Former Region Borders
  • Former District Ettrick And Lauderdale
  • Former County Selkirkshire

Archaeology Notes

NT22SW 2 22971 23507

(NT 2300 2350) Cockburn's Castle (NR)

(Remains of).

OS 6" map (1900)

Cockburn's Castle Henderland. On the right bank of Henderland Burn, about 150 yards NNW of Chapel Knowe (RCAHMS 1957, No. 8), there can be traced a roughly built and partly terraced enclosure. A grass-covered mound near its centre is apparently the last vestige of a small square tower, built of undressed boulders and measuring about 24ft either way over walls about 6ft 6ins thick. Other mounds to the SE, W and NE suggest that there were also some out- buildings, but without excavation the arrangement and date of the structures remain uncertain.

In 1530 William Cockburn of Henderland and his neighbour Adam Scott of Tushielaw (cf. No. 33), being convicted of high treason, theft, etc., were beheaded. (R Pitcairn 1833; Leslie 1833)

RCAHMS 1957, visited 1934.

The remains of this feature, which are fairly well defined, are just banks of earth and stone.

Information from M Roberts, OS Reviser, 21 August 1953.

The tower, situated at NT 2297 2350, has measured 6.5m by 6.0m and is now represented by a grass bank, 1.3m maximum height, through which numerous stones protrude. The terraced enclosure described by RCAHMS is bounded on the S side by a scarp 0.7m high which appears to have been constructed of earth and stone. To the E, SE and S of the tower are the stone-and-turf foundations of at least nine buildings, varying in size from 4.0 x 3.0m to 25.0 x 5.0m. and in height from 0.1 to 0.4m, and three enclosures, the latter irregular in shape and bounded by grassed-over stone banks no more than 0.3m high. The interior of the south-easternmost enclosure contains the footings of a small, rectangular structure measuring 4.0 x 3.0m. Fragments of banks are also evident within the vicinity of the tower but, contrary to RCAHMS, no mounds were seen to the west. It seems probable that the buildings and enclosures were associated with the tower.

Surveyed at 1/2500.

Visited by OS (EGC), 4 July 1962.

To the W of the tower-house and attached enclosure two unroofed buildings are depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Peeblesshire 1860, sheet xxv).

Nine unroofed buildings and two enclosures, one of which may be a building, are shown on the current edition of the OS 1:10000 map (1987).

Information from RCAHMS (AKK), 17 November 2000.

Activities

Field Visit (21 August 1953)

The remains of this feature, which are fairly well defined, are just banks of earth and stone.

Information from M Roberts, OS Reviser, 21 August 1953

Field Visit (4 July 1962)

The tower, situated at NT 2297 2350, has measured 6.5m by 6.0m and is now represented by a grass bank, 1.3m maximum height, through which numerous stones protrude. The terraced enclosure described by RCAHMS is bounded on the S side by a scarp 0.7m high which appears to have been constructed of earth and stone. To the E, SE and S of the tower are the stone-and-turf foundations of at least nine buildings, varying in size from 4.0 x 3.0m to 25.0 x 5.0m. and in height from 0.1 to 0.4m, and three enclosures, the latter irregular in shape and bounded by grassed-over stone banks no more than 0.3m high. The interior of the south-easternmost enclosure contains the footings of a small, rectangular structure measuring 4.0 x 3.0m. Fragments of banks are also evident within the vicinity of the tower but, contrary to RCAHMS, no mounds were seen to the west. It seems probable that the buildings and enclosures were associated with the tower.

Surveyed at 1/2500.

Visited by OS (EGC) 4 July 1962.

Desk Based Assessment (17 November 2000)

To the W of the tower-house and attached enclosure two unroofed buildings are depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Peeblesshire 1860, sheet xxv). Nine unroofed buildings and two enclosures, one of which may be a building, are shown on the current edition of the OS 1:10000 map (1987).

Information from RCAHMS (AKK) 17 November 2000.

Sbc Note

Visibility: This is an upstanding earthwork or monument.

Information from Scottish Borders Council

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