Listed Building

The only legal part of the listing under the Planning (Listing Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 is the address/name of site. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing – see 'About Listed Buildings' below for more information. The further details below the 'Address/Name of Site' are provided for information purposes only.

Address/Name of Site

AMISFIELD TOWERLB17233

Status: Designated

Documents

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Summary

Category
A
Date Added
03/08/1971
Supplementary Information Updated
06/06/2017
Local Authority
Dumfries And Galloway
Planning Authority
Dumfries And Galloway
Parish
Tinwald
NGR
NX 99203 83800
Coordinates
299203, 583800

Description

1600 panel probably dates re-modelling of existing (? 16th

century) tower house. Rectangular-plan; 4 storeys with attics

and garrets above. Rubble-built, with red ashlar dressings.

Circular stair turret corbelled above ground level on south

east angle, corbelled at 3rd floor to ashlar-built 3-storey

gabled tower with rope-moulded apex stack and skews, dormers

to flanks; gabled rectangular cap house above, set astride

gable head. Ashlar-built 2-storey turrets corbelled over

remaining angles, with curved semi-conical roofs.

Roll-moulded off-centre door on south wall, windows above

have nail-head decoration; 2nd floor window flanked by

plaques; single, corbelled dormer with decorative jambs and

shaped gable head; chequer-corbelled eaves. All larger

openings below relieving arches. Gunports. Crow-stepped west

gable (hollowed steps) and apex stack with rope moulding;

slated roofs.

Interior: guard room(?) and vaulted chamber with cobbled

floor at ground level, L-shaped chambers above (to

accommodate stair); fireplace with shafted jambs on west wall

of 1st and 2nd floor chambers; stone-flagged floor in former,

original painted frieze in latter; ceiling joists on stone

corbels. Attic and garrets no longer floored.

Incorporated in south west angle of walled garden (listed

separately).

Statement of Special Interest

Not occupied but well maintained and virtually unaltered. The original wooden door, dated 1600, and bearing a representation of Samson slaying the Lion, is in the National Museum of Antiquities, Edinburgh (illus in INVENTORY). The plaques above the door are dated 1600, and bear initials and arms of John Charteris of Amisfield and of Agnes Maxwell his wife. Some interesting graffiti especially on 1st floor east window ingoes, dating from 17th century.

References

Bibliography

RCAHM INVENTORY OF DUMFRIES, 1920 no 578 (inc. illus. &

plans)

MacGibbon and Ross CASTELLATED AND DOMESTIC ARCHITECTURE, vol

II, 1887 (1979 reprint) pp20-23 (inc. illus & plans)

About Listed Buildings

Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.

We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.

Listing is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for buildings of special architectural or historic interest as set out in the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997.

We list buildings which are found to be of special architectural or historic interest using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Listed building records provide an indication of the special architectural or historic interest of the listed building which has been identified by its statutory address. The description and additional information provided are supplementary and have no legal weight.

These records are not definitive historical accounts or a complete description of the building(s). If part of a building is not described it does not mean it is not listed. The format of the listed building record has changed over time. Earlier records may be brief and some information will not have been recorded.

The legal part of the listing is the address/name of site which is known as the statutory address. Other than the name or address of a listed building, further details are provided for information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland does not accept any liability for any loss or damage suffered as a consequence of inaccuracies in the information provided. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing. Even if a number or name is missing from a listing address it will still be listed. Listing covers both the exterior and the interior and any object or structure fixed to the building. Listing also applies to buildings or structures not physically attached but which are part of the curtilage (or land) of the listed building as long as they were erected before 1 July 1948.

While Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating listed buildings, the planning authority is responsible for determining what is covered by the listing, including what is listed through curtilage. However, for listed buildings designated or for listings amended from 1 October 2015, legal exclusions to the listing may apply.

If part of a building is not listed, it will say that it is excluded in the statutory address and in the statement of special interest in the listed building record. The statement will use the word 'excluding' and quote the relevant section of the 1997 Act. Some earlier listed building records may use the word 'excluding', but if the Act is not quoted, the record has not been revised to reflect subsequent legislation.

Listed building consent is required for changes to a listed building which affect its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest. The relevant planning authority is the point of contact for applications for listed building consent.

Find out more about listing and our other designations at www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support. You can contact us on 0131 668 8914 or at designations@hes.scot.

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