Drumelzier Castle

Heritage listing

Date Added 27/06/1972 Last Date Amended 16/02/2022 Supplementary Information Updated 22/12/2023 Type Secular: tower Local Authority Scottish Borders Parish Drumelzier NGR NT 12426 33480 Coordinates 312426, 633480 — The site comprises Drumelzier Castle, the remains of a 16th century tower house, incorporating an older structure. It is located within Drumelzier Place farm, situated on a low but prominent rise to the south of the River Tweed. The castle appears to have developed into an L-plan tower house over three phases. The earliest phase survives as a fragment of masonry built into the west wall of a later farm building. This fragment appears to be the south west corner of a substantial building of at least 2 storeys but little more can be said about the building. A substantial oblong tower was butted against this structure probably in the mid-16th century. All that survives of this tower is the lower courses of its south wall. In the later 16th century a square-planned wing was added to this central block. This had a vaulted ground floor and was three storeys and attic in height. Only the ground floor of the tower now survives, and this has gunloops in each wall. The scheduled area is irregular. It includes the remains described above and an area around within which evidence relating to the monument s construction, use and abandonment is expected to survive, as shown in red on the accompanying map. The scheduling includes the southeast corner of the later farm building which contains medieval walls projecting 3.5m to the northwest and 2.5m to the north east. The rest of the later farm building including the entirety of the roof and roof structure are excluded from the scheduling, as are all modern fences and gates.

From Historic Environment Scotland under OGL v3.