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Summary

Description

Circa 1510. 3-storey and attic, 3-bay L-plan tower house; advanced stair tower to NW; caphouse. Attic addition of circa 1600, with N and S walls built on original parapet; 1821 remodelling included arched windows to upper 2 floors when property converted to town jail to light cells and access passages. Rubble; ashlar dressings. Red sandstone quoins; long and short surrounds to openings; castellated parapet.

N (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: central entrance; timber door; empty panel frame aligned above; small opening to right; small opening at 1st floor; single windows at 2nd floor and attic. Splayed gunloop at ground in bay to left; small opening above; single windows at 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors. Birdcage bellcote surmounts stack at parapet. 2 small windows to stair tower to outer right.

W ELEVATION: regular fenestration to stair tower; regular fenestration at centre, excluding attic (window to 2nd floor infilled); small flanking openings to centre window at 1st floor.

S (REAR) ELEVATION: central single window at 1st floor; 3 single windows at 2nd floor; 3 pairs of window at attic.

INTERIOR: 2 tunnel-vaulted rooms at ground floor; gunloops to S and E walls of E room; recess to S wall of W room. Off turnpike stair to left, narrow room, probably a private chamber. Large 1st floor vaulted room; fireplace to N reduced in width. Narrow room to 2nd floor converted to passage in 1821 remodelling to serve 2 cells to S; 3rd cell entered directly from stair; tunnel-vaults and iron-plated doors to all cells. Passage to attic, leads to 2 tunnel-vaulted cells. Stair access to flat roof.

Statement of Special Interest

Built for Ninian Adair of Kinhilt. The Adairs of Kinhilt were a family with Irish origins who had arrived in Scotland in the 13th century, and already had considerable authority within Chapel. W McIlwraith noted in 1875, "So closely is it surrounded by other buildings that its antique baronial appearance is completely hidden." The castle was restored and converted to a visitor centre in 1988-90.

(Previously a scheduled monument, descheduled 2005)

References

Bibliography

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