Description
Plunton Castle is a small mid-16th century L-plan tower house that is largely complete to the wall head. It has a projecting wing at the south west angle which contained a spiral stair. It has simple detailing with the main architectural expression at the wall head, where there are three angle turrets on corbelled supports. Where they survive the windows have simple rounded margins and their glazing grooves show that they contained fixed lights above shutters. Plain gunloops pierce the walls of the main block at ground floor level.
The ground floor had two vaulted storage rooms, the southernmost is entered from the stair foot and the other through a much altered doorway in the main west wall. There is no communication between the ground floor rooms and access would have been directly from the courtyard. The former existence of this courtyard is indicted by tusking for its wall at the north-west angle of the castle.
The first floor, which would have been reached by the spiral stair, contained the hall. This was well lit on all sides and there are the remains of a large fireplace in the west wall. On the second floor there were two chambers, each with a fireplace, and there was further accommodation in a garret.
The tower is situated on a level plateau and is surrounded by the turf-covered remains of associated ancillary buildings, courtyards and gardens.
History
Not a great deal is known about Plunton castle. The lands of Plunton belonged to the McGhie family in the early 16th century, but passed to the Lennoxes, who probably built the present buildings about the middle of that century. It passed by marriage to the Murrays of Broughton in the late 17th century.
Status
The tower is situated in farmland accessed via a track from a minor road. Around fifteen years ago a restoration project was developed but was not progressed. The owners have subsequently considered other proposals although these have not yet come to fruition.
Conservation Options
The tower is generally complete to the wall head, although it is in a fragile condition. It shares considerable similarities with other small Galloway towers including Barholm Castle, which has been recently restored. Restoration would be possible without resorting to conjectural details.
However, it should be noted that the tower is small; it is also surrounded by associated archaeology. These factors would impose some constrains on any restoration project.
Bibliography
J Gifford, The Buildings of Scotland, Dumfries and Galloway, London 1996, pp 489-90
J R Hume, Dumfries and Galloway: an Illustrated Guide, Edinburgh 2000, p 169
The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. Inventory of monuments in Galloway, II, county of the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright, Edinburgh, 114
N Tranter (1962-70) 'The fortified house in Scotland' South West Scotland, Edinburgh, vol 3, 1965, pp