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Edinburgh, 'dingwall Castle'

Castle (Medieval), Jail (16th Century)

Site Name Edinburgh, 'dingwall Castle'

Classification Castle (Medieval), Jail (16th Century)

Canmore ID 52531

Site Number NT27SE 66

NGR NT 2590 7394

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/52531

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

  • Council Edinburgh, City Of
  • Parish Edinburgh (Edinburgh, City Of)
  • Former Region Lothian
  • Former District City Of Edinburgh
  • Former County Midlothian

Archaeology Notes

NT27SE 66 2590 7394.

Dingwall Castle stood on the same site as the Orphan Hospital (Thin 1927; Paton 1933) (at NT 2590 7394 - see NT27SE 137) on ground now occupied by British Railways. It was probably built for John Dingwall, provost of Trinity College Church from 1525-32. In the civil war of 1571-3, it was used as a blockhouse, and later as a prison. Its stones were used for the repair of Trinity College Church in 1643. Gordon's drawing of 1647 shows the ruin as quadrangular, built round an open courtyard, with a circular tower projecting from each corner.

R Thin 1927; H Paton 1933; RCAHMS 1951.

No trace. No further information.

Visited by OS (J D) 26 December 1953.

Activities

Publication Account (1951)

166. Dingwall Castle, Low Calton.

This house, which stood N.E. of the E. end of the North Loch on ground which is now occupied by British Railways, was probably built for John Dingwall, Provost of Trinity College Church from 1525 to 1532 (1).In the civil war of 1571-3 it was used as a blockhouse, and in later times as a prison. In 1612 it was given to the Town by James VI, and in 1643 its stones were being used for the repair of Trinity College Church (2). Gordon's drawing of 1647 shows the ruin of the building as quadrangular, built round an open courtyard, and having a circular tower projecting from each corner; the tower on the N.E., which probably contained the staircase as it also projects into the courtyard, being shown as almost entirely destroyed. The wall on the W. of the courtyard may have been simply a screen-wall, but on each of the other sides there was a wing. The entrance, which was approached from St. Ninian's Row on the E., evidently led into the courtyard by way of a passage through the E. wing.

RCAHMS 1951

(1) O.E.C., xix, p. 94. (2) B.R., 1642-1655, pp. 7 and 27.

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