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Tranent Tower

This castle is in the East Lothian Council and the Tranent Parish.
Scheduled Monument record on the Portal.

Description

Tranent Tower is a small tower house that was probably built in the late 16th century. It consists of a rectangular block of two storeys above a barrel-vaulted basement, with a wing containing the spiral stair at the south-west corner.

The walls are built of a buff/brown sandstone rubble. At the head of the stair there appears originally to have been a corbelled out watch-chamber which was later converted into a dovecote covered by a single-pitch roof. The gables were crow-stepped and the roof was still pan tiled in the mid-20th century, although this is unlikely to have been its original covering and the upper storey may have been considerably reworked.

The entrance door and the majority of the windows are through the south wall, suggesting there may have been a barmkin on this side, but of this nothing remains. It is possible that the cottage to the west may incorporate parts of a structure built within such a courtyard.

Internally the tower is subdivided on each floor by a cross wall; these walls are evidently secondary, but appear to be relatively early insertions. It seems likely there were always cross partitions but possibly originally in a less permanent form. The first floor hall has several features of interest, including a large blocked fireplace, a lavabo, aumbries and perhaps a buffet recess in the north wall.

History

Little is known of Tranent Tower; it may have been built by the Seton family in the late 16th century. About the beginning of the 17th century, the property was acquired by the Vallance family who retained it until the 19th century. In the early 20th century the tower was in use as a stable and hayloft.

Status

The tower is situated at the end of a small lane in the middle of Tranent, the town having grown up around it. It has been the subject of several proposed restoration projects in the past, none of which were progressed. It has been recently supported by scaffolding because of some instability at the wall heads and the present owner is developing plans for its restoration.

Conservation Options

The castle is almost intact to the wall head although the upper parts of the gables are rather eroded and fragile. It was roofed until the 1970s and its roof construction has been recorded, meaning that it could be restored with a high degree certainty. It is considered that it would be possible to restore it for modern occupation without detracting from its significance. However, it should be noted that the tower is very small, which could place constraints on how it could be used.

Bibliography

C McWilliam, The buildings of Scotland, Lothian, Harmondsworth, 1978, p 453

The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland, Inventory of of East Lothian, Edinburgh, 1924, p 124

N Tranter, The fortified house in Scotland, vol 1 South East Scotland, Edinburgh, 1962, pp 56-57

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