Alternative Names Lumsden Castle; Blanerne House
Site Type CASTLE, TOWER HOUSE
Canmore ID 59689
Site Number NT85NW 10
NGR NT 83182 56362
Council SCOTTISH BORDERS, THE
Parish BUNKLE AND PRESTON
Former Region BORDERS
Former District BERWICKSHIRE
Former County BERWICKSHIRE
Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Canmore Mapping
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Architectural Notes

EXTERNAL REFERENCE:
Scottish Record Office:
GD/157/1992
View of a castle (probably Blanerne), sketch by H.D. Scott of Harden, c.1808

Archaeological Notes

NT85NW 10 83182 56362

NT85NW 27.00 83224 56426 Blanerne

(NT 83182 56362) Blanerne Castle (NR) (Remains of)
OS 6" map, (1957).

Blanerne Castle, dated by MacGibbon and Ross to their '4th period': 1542-1700, consists of two detached buildings which may once have been united. That to the E, called the 'Keep', is very ruinous; the other, called the 'Guard House', is better preserved.
D MacGibbon and T Ross 1892; RCAHMS 1915, visited 1908.

The two buildings, of rubble masonry, appear to be contemporary. The 'Keep' measures 5.0m by 8.0m over 0.9m thick walls and has the remains of a small circular turret near the SE corner. The 'Guard House' is a three- storeyed tower, 5.0m by 5.0m by some 12.0m high, with the remains of a corbelled turret at the NE angle. Just N, there is a low, walled enclosure, 5.0m square by 1.0m high, possibly the remains of another building.
Visited by OS (IA) 13 December 1972.

All that remains of Blanerne Castle is one wing of a tower-house and a two-storeyed building with an oven at its S end.
RCAHMS 1980, visited 1979.

Coventry, M (2001) The castles of Scotland Musselburgh
Page(s): 92 Held at RCAHMS F.5.2.COV

Knight Frank (2003) Blanerne House, Duns, Berwickshire: [sale particulars], Lauder
Held at RCAHMS D.7.13.BLA.S

Knight Frank and Rutley (1990) Blanerne, by Duns, Berwickshire: {sale particulars}, Edinburgh
Held at RCAHMS D.1.13.BLA.S