Accessibility

Font Size

100% 150% 200%

Background Colour

Default Contrast
Close Reset

Oxenfoord Castle

Country House (18th Century), Tower House (16th Century)

Site Name Oxenfoord Castle

Classification Country House (18th Century), Tower House (16th Century)

Alternative Name(s) Oxenford Castle; Oxenfoord Castle Estate; Oxenfoord Castle Policies

Canmore ID 53391

Site Number NT36NE 62

NGR NT 38816 65507

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/53391

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 Midlothian
  • Parish Cranston
  • Former Region Lothian
  • Former District Midlothian
  • Former County Midlothian

Archaeology Notes

NT36NE62 38816 65507

NT 38816 65507 Site identified during an archaeological assessement carried out by CFA Archaeology Ltd.

Mhairi Hastie, 2006.

Architecture Notes

NT36NE 62.00 38816 65507

NT36NE 62.01 38156 66104 North gate-lodge

NT36NE 62.02 39155 65161 Ice-house

NT36NE 62.03 38822 65580 Oxenfoord Bridge

NT36NE 62.04 38426 65396 Middle gate-lodge

NT36NE 62.05 38851 65462 Dutch garden and sundials

NT36NE 62.06 39183 65184 Curling Pond

NT36NE 62.07 39010 65161 Cranstoun Dean, Bridge

NT36NE 62.08 38666 65544 Gardener's House

NT36NE 62.09 38646 65614 Walled Garden

See also:

NT36NE 11 38741 65609 Cranstoun Old Parish Church and Churchyard

NT36NE 42.00 38486 65628 Coach House

NT36NE 42.01 38475 65629 Stables

NT36NE 132 37098 65352 Forester's House (Edgehead Lodge)

NT36NE 133 38360 65631 Factor's House (Cranstoun Riddel)

NT36SE 120 38921 64719 South Lodge

For cropmarks of possible formal garden (NT 388 651), see NT36NE 98.

This seat of the Earl of Stair dates from 1780, having been then remodelled by Robert Adam, but was considerably enlarged at a later time by William Burn. Encased within it is the shell of a 16th-century tower, hardly to be traced in the building, but clearly shown on Adam's plans, which are preserved in the Soane Museum, London. This tower was L-shaped on plan, and within the re-entrant angle was a stair-tower, shown in another set of plans preserved at Oxenfoord as terminating in a parapeted look-out 63 1/3 above ground level. The main block of the tower measures 50 by 28ft externally, the wing 18 by 24ft; both measured 44ft to the wall head. There was no parapet. At the angles were turrets containing little 'studies'. There were four storeys, the basement of both main block and wing being vaulted.

RCAHMS 1929, visited 1927

NMRS REFERENCE:

Owner: Earl of Stair

Architects: Robert Adam 1780-83 Additions to an L-shaped 17th c. house

William Burn 1840 Alterations and additions

NMRS/ Simpson & Brown photographs

Box 7; Album No.103

1991 Estate Buildings

NMRS I.G.Lindsay Collection, W/345

EXTERNAL REFERENCE:

National Library - Small's 'Castles & Mansions of the Lothians' - article and photographs

Scottish Record Office:

Oxenfoord. GD 135/Box 104/3/7. Estimate by George Lorimer [? Builder] of the expense of the bridge and Entrance Hall at Oxenfoord Castle. 1820. Listed in the Inventory of papers belonging to Sir John H dalrymple which were delivered to Sir John in 1825. (215 on list). 1825.

Memorial to Sir John Dalrymple at Oxenfoord Castle

NMRS COLLECTION:

Soane Collection, Robert & James Adam, Unidentified box

Activities

Field Visit (23 March 1927)

Oxenfoord Castle.

This seat of the Earl of Stair lies 4 miles east-south-east of Dalkeith. It dates from 1780, having been then remodelled by Robert Adam, but was considerably enlarged at a later time by William Burn. Encased within it is the shell of a 16th-century tower, hardly to be traced in the building, but clearly shown on Adam's plans, which are preserved in the Soane Museum, London. This tower was L-shaped on plan, and within the re-entrant angle was a stair-tower, shown in another set of plans preserved at Oxenfoord as terminating in a parapeted look-out 63 1/3 feet above ground level. The main block of the tower measures 50 by 28 feet externally, the wing 18 by 24 feet; both measured 44 feet to the wall head. There was no parapet. At the angles were turrets containing little "studies." There were four storeys, the basement of both main block and wing being vaulted.

RCAHMS 1929, visited 23 March 1927.

Photographic Survey (1953)

Photographic survey by the Buildings Record Scottish Council in 1953.

References

MyCanmore Image Contributions


Contribute an Image

MyCanmore Text Contributions