MHG390 - Berriedale Castle
Summary
No summary available.
Type and Period (1)
- CASTLE (Medieval to 19th Century - 1058 AD to 1900 AD)
Protected Status
Full Description
Berriedale Castle (NR) (remains of) OS 6" map, (1964)
On a tongue of rock projecting across mouth of the Berriedale River are remains of Berriedale Castle. The promontory on which the castle stood has been cut off from the high ground in rear of it by a deep ditch across the neck. There has been a double row of buildings along the promontory separated by a narrow courtyard, and whole enclosed by a wall of enceinte, still partly traceable. The remains are very scanty.
Berriedale Castle belonged in 14th century to Rannald or Reginald Cheyne, thereafter passing through marriage to Sutherlands and subsequently to Oliphants. 1526 Andrew Oliphant sold property to his uncle, Laurence, Lord Oliphant, and in 1606 his successor sold Berriedale etc to the Earl of Caithness.
D MacGibbon and T Ross 1887-92; W Macfarlane 1906-8; RCAHMS 1911.
Berriedale Castle: Fragments of a massive enceinte wall (2.5m thick) can be traced here and there all round the promontory, but mostly on W side. A turf-covered retangular foundation, 14 by 4.2m, lies on E side abutting the cliff. On W side, the footings of a range of buildings, 0.8m high, exist, at least three compartments being noted amid the rubble and grass. A small gatehouse, some 3.4m square, existed at S end, but only footings, 0.2m high, remain. On N side of the rock-cut ditch are the remains of an abutment of a bridge which crossed the 6m wide gully. About 20m E of gatehouse, and at a lower level, are the remains of a building with an apsidal-ended W end, 1m high. It was about 12m long by 3.5m broad, only a fragment of N wall remaining, 3.5m long by 1m thick and 0.5m high. E end terminates abruptly in a rock face.
Visited by OS (J L D) 14 June 1960.
As described. Resurveyed at 1:2500.
Visited by OS (R L) 7 March 1968.
Special survey carried out by RCAHMS1980.
Berriedale Castle is as reported and illustrated by the previous field investigators. Visited by OS (J M) 24 November 1982.
East Caithness Local Plan, May 1987: P115/6.21. Harbours, Piers and Jetties.
POLICY - The Council will continue to encourage, and where possible, support a continuing programme of work to harbours.
Visitor Facilities Proposed.
J Aitken : 23/05/01.
Sources/Archives (10)
- --- SHG1958 Text/Report/Fieldwork Report: Batey, C E. 1984. Caithness Coastal Survey 1980-82: Dunnet Head to Ousdale. University of Durham, Department of Archaeology. 30/01/1984. Digital (scanned as PDF). LAT 296.
- --- SHG2441 Text/Publication/Volume: Mitchell, Sir A and Clark, J T (eds.). 1906-8. Geographical collections relating to Scotland. Vol. 1, 163.
- --- SHG2442 Text/Publication/Volume: MacGibbon, D. and Ross, T.. 1887-92. The castellated and domestic architecture of Scotland from the twelfth to the eighteenth century. Hardback. Vol. 4, 297-8; plan.
- --- SHG2664 Text/Report: RCAHMS. 1911. The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments and Constructions of Scotland. Third report and inventory of monuments and constructions in the county of Caithness. . 85, No. 308.
- --- SHG3585 Image/Photograph(s)/Aerial Photograph: B/W Negative. .
- --- SHG3622 Image/Photograph(s): B/W Negative. .
- --- SHG3623 Image/Photograph(s): B/W Negative. .
- --- SHG4136 Image/Photograph(s)/Aerial Photograph: B/W Negative. .
- --- SHG4137 Image/Photograph(s)/Aerial Photograph: B/W Negative. .
- --- SHG916 Text/Publication/Article: RCAHMS. 1980. 'Inventories, non-inventory survey, Society of Antiquaries of Scotland archaeological surveyors, NMRS', Discovery and Excavation in Scotland 1980, p.44-55. Discovery and Excavation in Scotland. 44-55. 45.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred ND 1208 2242 (82m by 92m) (2 map features) |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | ND12SW |
| Civil Parish | LATHERON |
| Geographical Area | CAITHNESS |
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Investigations/Events (0)
External Links (2)
- http://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/SM3438 (Online designation description (Historic Environment Scotland))
- https://canmore.org.uk/site/8089 (View RCAHMS Canmore entry for this site)
Comments and Feedback
Do you have any more information about this record? Please feel free to comment with information and photographs, or ask any questions, using the "Disqus" tool below. Comments are moderated, and we aim to respond/publish as soon as possible.