Barnes Castle

Coordinates: 55°58′47″N 2°45′25″W / 55.979714°N 2.756959°W / 55.979714; -2.756959
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Barnes castle
East Lothian, Scotland
Remains of Barnes Castle
Barnes castle is located in East Lothian
Barnes castle
Barnes castle
Coordinates55°58′47″N 2°45′25″W / 55.979714°N 2.756959°W / 55.979714; -2.756959
Site information
ConditionRuin
Site history
Built16th century

Barnes Castle is an unfinished castle, with a number of defensive banks, located 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) north-east of Haddington in East Lothian, Scotland. It is close to Athelstaneford on the slopes of the Garleton Hills. The remains, also known as Barney Vaults or The Vaults, are protected as a scheduled monument.[1]

History

The Barnes estate was granted to Alexander de Seyton by King

James VI's Treasurer of the Household and an Extraordinary Lord of Session.[3] The property was sold out of the family by George Seaton, the Jacobite Earl of Dunfermline, in 1713.[2]

Description

The rubble-built

gun loops to cover the sides of the walls. The entrance gate was in the centre of the south-west wall and led into a large courtyard. The residence has a symmetrical front with the doorway leading into a vestibule connected to a long hallway that stretches the width of the structure that leads to vaulted chambers. Two of these on the south-eastern side project into the courtyard, flanking the doorway, together with the adjacent stair towers. The chamber on the left side is identified as the kitchen by its large fireplace. The building is generally complete up to the level of the vaulted ground floor, but only some of the walls reach a height of 14 feet (4.3 m).[2]

There are no other documentary records to the building and it appears that construction apparently ceased on Sir John's death. It is currently used to store agricultural equipment.[2] For its time it was of a modern and symmetrical design.[4]

References

  1. ^ Historic Environment Scotland. "Barnes Castle, The Vaults (SM764)". Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d Historic Environment Scotland. "Barnes Castle (56299)". Canmore. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  3. ^ Lee, Sidney, ed. (1897). "Seton, John (d.1594)" . Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 51. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
  4. ^ Historic Environment Scotland. "Barnes Castle or Barney Vaults (LB10823)". Retrieved 23 March 2020.

See also