Hoddom Castle
Encyclopedia
Hoddom Castle is a large tower house in Dumfries and Galloway
, south Scotland
. It is located by the River Annan
, 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) south-west of Ecclefechan
and the same distance north-west of Brydekirk
in the parish of Cummertrees
. The castle is protected as a category A listed building.
family, allies of the Bruce family who were Lords of Annandale
from 1124. It passed to the Carruthers family, and then to the Maxwells. At the core of the castle is an L-plan tower house, built in the 16th century. It was probably built for Sir John Maxwell, who acquired Hoddom in the mid 16th-century when he married the heiress Agnes, Lady Herries. Maxwell also built Repentance Tower
, on the hill to the south, as a watchtower for the castle.
In the aftermath of the reign of Mary, Queen of Scots, the Regent Moray besieged Hoddom, which capitulated after only one day. It was briefly the base of the Warden of the Scottish West March
, but was recaptured in 1569 by supporters of Queen Mary. The following year it was attacked by the English under Lord Scroop, who blew up the tower.
This tower was repaired and expanded in the 17th century to form a courtyard castle. It was acquired by Sir Richard Murray from the 6th Lord Herries, and then became the property of the Earl of Southesk
in 1653. In 1690 it passed to the Sharpe family. In around 1826, General Matthew Sharpe
of Hoddom commissioned William Burn
to design modern extensions to the south and west of the castle. Hoddom was purchased in 1877 by the Brook family of Meltham
, Huddersfield, who later bought nearby Kinmount House
. Further extensions were built in a neo-Jacobean style to the north and west, some at least to designs by architects Wardrop and Anderson.
The house was requisitioned by the military during the Second World War, and was not reoccupied afterwards. In the 1970s William Burn's extensions were largely demolished. The castle now stands in the grounds of a caravan park, and the remaining 19th-century additions are used as offices. The tower house is derelict, and has been included on the Buildings at Risk Register for Scotland. It is also included on Historic Scotland
's Castle Conservation Register, which aims to identify buildings which could be successfully restored. In March 2009 planning permission was granted for a redevelopment of the castle, together with the building of a hotel, chalets, and a golf course.
Dumfries and Galloway
Dumfries and Galloway is one of 32 unitary council areas of Scotland. It was one of the nine administrative 'regions' of mainland Scotland created in 1975 by the Local Government etc. Act 1973...
, south Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. It is located by the River Annan
River Annan
The River Annan is a river in southwest Scotland. It rises at the foot of Hart Fell, five miles north of Moffat. A second fork rises on Annanhead Hill and flows through the Devil's Beef Tub before joining at the Hart Fell fork north of Moffat.From there it flows past the town of Lockerbie, and...
, 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) south-west of Ecclefechan
Ecclefechan
Ecclefechan is a small village in the south of Scotland in Dumfries and Galloway.Ecclefechan lay in the early middle ages within the British kingdom of Rheged, and the name is derived from the Brythonic for "small church"...
and the same distance north-west of Brydekirk
Brydekirk
Brydekirk is a village in Dumfries and Galloway, United Kingdom located approximately 2.5 miles north of Annan. The village sits adjacent to the River Annan, and was the concept of the Paisley Dirom family of Mount Annan and building started about 1822...
in the parish of Cummertrees
Cummertrees
Cummertrees is a coastal village and parish of Annandale in Dumfries and Galloway. It lies about a mile inland, on the Pow Water, twelve miles from Dumfries, and three from Annan.-History:...
. The castle is protected as a category A listed building.
History
The lands of Hoddom or Hoddam belonged to the HerriesLord Herries of Terregles
Lord Herries of Terregles is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1490 for Herbert Herries. On the death of his grandson, the third Lord, the male line failed. He was succeeded by his daughter Agnes. She married Sir John Maxwell, second son of Robert Maxwell, 5th Lord Maxwell...
family, allies of the Bruce family who were Lords of Annandale
Lord of Annandale
The Lord of Annandale was a sub-comital lordship in southern Scotland established by David I of Scotland by 1124 for his follower Robert de Brus...
from 1124. It passed to the Carruthers family, and then to the Maxwells. At the core of the castle is an L-plan tower house, built in the 16th century. It was probably built for Sir John Maxwell, who acquired Hoddom in the mid 16th-century when he married the heiress Agnes, Lady Herries. Maxwell also built Repentance Tower
Repentance Tower
Repentance Tower is a 16th Century tower house situated near Annan, Dumfries and Galloway. Built in 1565 by John Maxwell, it served as a watchtower for Hoddom Castle. The tower takes its name from an inscription above the door.-References:...
, on the hill to the south, as a watchtower for the castle.
In the aftermath of the reign of Mary, Queen of Scots, the Regent Moray besieged Hoddom, which capitulated after only one day. It was briefly the base of the Warden of the Scottish West March
Anglo-Scottish border
The Anglo-Scottish border is the official border and mark of entry between Scotland and England. It runs for 154 km between the River Tweed on the east coast and the Solway Firth in the west. It is Scotland's only land border...
, but was recaptured in 1569 by supporters of Queen Mary. The following year it was attacked by the English under Lord Scroop, who blew up the tower.
This tower was repaired and expanded in the 17th century to form a courtyard castle. It was acquired by Sir Richard Murray from the 6th Lord Herries, and then became the property of the Earl of Southesk
Earl of Southesk
Earl of Southesk is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1633 for Sir David Carnegie, an Extraordinary Lord of Session. He had already been created Lord Carnegie of Kinnaird in 1616 and was made Lord Carnegie, of Kinnaird and Leuchards, at the same time he was given the Earldom....
in 1653. In 1690 it passed to the Sharpe family. In around 1826, General Matthew Sharpe
Matthew Sharpe (general)
General Matthew Sharpe was a Scottish politician and British Army officer.He was the eldest son of Charles Sharpe of Hoddam Castle, Cummertrees, Dumfriesshire and Eleanor née Renton of Lamberton.-Military career:...
of Hoddom commissioned William Burn
William 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...
to design modern extensions to the south and west of the castle. Hoddom was purchased in 1877 by the Brook family of Meltham
Meltham
Meltham is a small town and civil parish within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England. It lies in the Holme Valley, below Wessenden Moor, four and a half miles south-west of Huddersfield on the edge of the Peak District National Park...
, Huddersfield, who later bought nearby Kinmount House
Kinmount House
Kinmount House is a 19th-century country house in Dumfries and Galloway, south Scotland. It is located west of Annan in the parish of Cummertrees. The house was designed by Sir Robert Smirke for the Marquess of Queensberry, and completed in 1820...
. Further extensions were built in a neo-Jacobean style to the north and west, some at least to designs by architects Wardrop and Anderson.
The house was requisitioned by the military during the Second World War, and was not reoccupied afterwards. In the 1970s William Burn's extensions were largely demolished. The castle now stands in the grounds of a caravan park, and the remaining 19th-century additions are used as offices. The tower house is derelict, and has been included on the Buildings at Risk Register for Scotland. It is also included on Historic Scotland
Historic Scotland
Historic Scotland is an executive agency of the Scottish Government, responsible for historic monuments in Scotland.-Role:As its website states:...
's Castle Conservation Register, which aims to identify buildings which could be successfully restored. In March 2009 planning permission was granted for a redevelopment of the castle, together with the building of a hotel, chalets, and a golf course.