Blanerne Castle
Encyclopedia
Blanerne Castle is the remains of a 16th-century fortified house
, located in the grounds of Blanerne House, an 18th-century country house between Chirnside
and Preston
in the Scottish Borders
. The house and castle sit on the north bank of the Whiteadder Water
, around 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) north-east of Duns
. The house is currently operated as a guest house, offering access to fishing and game shooting. Both the house and castle are category B listed buildings, and the castle is further protected as a Scheduled Ancient Monument
.
for over four centuries. The surviving remains are dated to the 16th century, although the site may have been occupied as far back as the 12th century. The remains include a keep
or kitchen block, with a detached guard house to the west.
A popular Berwickshire rhyme refers to the medieval strengths of Blanerne and the nearby fortresses of Billie Castle, and Bonkyll Castle
referring to their construction in the time of David I
and their destruction following the Rough wooing:
, although these may not have been carried out. A major fire in 1895 led to the rebuilding of the house in its present form, in 1897.
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
, located in the grounds of Blanerne House, an 18th-century country house between Chirnside
Chirnside
Chirnside is a hillside village in Berwickshire in Scotland, west of Berwick-upon-Tweed and east of Duns.-Notables:David Hume, the Scottish Enlightenment philosopher, lived in Ninewells House, just south of the village...
and Preston
Preston, Scottish Borders
Preston is a small village in the pre-1975 ancient county of Berwickshire, now an administrative area of the Scottish Borders region of Scotland....
in the Scottish Borders
Scottish Borders
The Scottish Borders is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It is bordered by Dumfries and Galloway in the west, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian in the north west, City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian to the north; and the non-metropolitan counties of Northumberland...
. The house and castle sit on the north bank of the Whiteadder Water
Whiteadder Water
Whiteadder Water is a river in East Lothian and Berwickshire, Scotland. It also flows for a very short distance through Northumberland before joining the River Tweed...
, around 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) north-east of Duns
Duns
Duns is the county town of the historic county of Berwickshire, within the Scottish Borders.-Early history:Duns law, the original site of the town of Duns, has the remains of an Iron Age hillfort at its summit...
. The house is currently operated as a guest house, offering access to fishing and game shooting. Both the house and castle are category B listed buildings, and the castle is further protected as a Scheduled Ancient Monument
Scheduled Ancient Monument
In the United Kingdom, a scheduled monument is a 'nationally important' archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorized change. The various pieces of legislation used for legally protecting heritage assets from damage and destruction are grouped under the term...
.
Blanerne Castle
The castle was the historical seat of the Lumsdaine familyClan Lumsden
-Origins of the clan:The name Lumsden derives from the old manor of Lumsden in the parish of Coldingham in Berwickshire. The earliest known recordings of the name appear between 1166 and 1182 when the brothers Gillem and Cren de Lumsden witnessed a charter by Waldeve Earl of Dunbar to Coldingham...
for over four centuries. The surviving remains are dated to the 16th century, although the site may have been occupied as far back as the 12th century. The remains include a keep
Keep
A keep is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word keep, but usually consider it to refer to large towers in castles that were fortified residences, used as a refuge of last resort should the rest of the...
or kitchen block, with a detached guard house to the west.
A popular Berwickshire rhyme refers to the medieval strengths of Blanerne and the nearby fortresses of Billie Castle, and Bonkyll Castle
Bonkyll Castle
Bonkyll Castle was a medieval fortress situated in the eastern Scottish Borders of which little remains...
referring to their construction in the time of David I
David I of Scotland
David I or Dabíd mac Maíl Choluim was a 12th-century ruler who was Prince of the Cumbrians and later King of the Scots...
and their destruction following the Rough wooing:
Bunkle, Billie and Blanerne
Three castles strong as airn
Built when Davie was a Bairn
Theyll all gang doon,
Wi Scotland's Croon
An ilka ane shall be a cairn
Blanerne House
The house was constructed in the 18th century. Around 1830, plans for the house were prepared by the architect William BurnWilliam Burn
William Burn was a Scottish architect, pioneer of the Scottish Baronial style.He was born in Edinburgh, the son of architect Robert Burn, and educated at the Royal High School. After training with the architect of the British Museum, Sir Robert Smirke, he returned to Edinburgh in 1812...
, although these may not have been carried out. A major fire in 1895 led to the rebuilding of the house in its present form, in 1897.