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Amisfield
Tower
is
one
of
the
best
examples
of
a
Tower
House
in
Scotland.
It
dates
back
to
around
1600
although
there
was
a
castle
at
Amisfield
in
the
1200s,
and
recent
archaeological
excavations
are
likely
to
date
the
original
tower
house
to
earlier
than
1600.
It
was
built
by
the
Charteris
family,
a
Norman
family
who
arrived
in
Scotland
with
William
the
Conqueror
and
were
then
granted
the
lands by the king of Scotland in 1166.
Although
the
basic
plan
of
Amisfield
is
a
simple
square
with
four
stories
and
an
attic,
its
richness
in
corbelling
and
turrets
gives
it
a
more
romantic
guise.
Three
corners
have
double-storeyed
turrets
while
the
fourth
is
decked.
It
has
a
steeply-pitched
roof.
These
upper
features
are
built
in
warm,
red
ashlar
in
contrast
to
the
rubble
walls
below.
The
corbelling
is
so-called
billet-and-cable
design,
the
stonework
imitating
logs
and
rope.
The
dormer
windows
adapted
the
old
French
form
of
bretèche
and
dog-toothed
motifs
surround
the
armorial
panels
and
some
of
the
windows.
The
basement
is
vaulted
and
the
hall,
on
the
first
floor,
has
three
windows
and
a
garderobe.
A
turnpike
stair,
in
one
corner,
leads
to
the
floors
above,
which
have
fine fireplaces and tempera wall-painting with lion faces.
An
interesting
feature
is
the
‘Laird’s
Lug’
a
secret
chamber
where
the
laird
could
overhear
what
was
being
said
about
him
in
the
hall
below.
This
is
not
unusual
in
Scotland and other examples abound, for instance at Castle Fraser.
An
oak
door
from
the
tower,
fashioned
by
a
local
craftsman,
is
on
display
in
Edinburgh
at
the
National
Museum
of
Scotland.
It
depicts
Samson
tearing
open
the
jaws
of
a
lion,
and
with
a
shield
bearing
the
Arms
of
Charteris
and
Herries
and
dated 1600.
The
Charteris
family
held
the
lands
from
the
13
th
C
and
one
of
the
family,
Thomas
de
Charteris,
was
Chancellor
to
Alexander
II.
They
built
the
tower,
although
there
was
probably
an
existing
stronghold
here.
The
family
feuded
with
the
Kilpatricks
of
Kirkmichael,
and
Roger
Kilpatrick
was
murdered
in
1526.
Sir
Robert
Charteris
of
Amisfield fought a duel with Sir James Douglas of Drumlanrig in 1530.
Amisfield
House
was
built
nearby
in
1631,
although
it
was
much
remodelled
in
the
19
th
C
as
a
two-storey
and
basement
symmetrical
mansion,
incorporating
the
older
house.
In
1636
the
property
passed
to
John
Dalziel
of
Newton.
The
Dalziels
were
active
Royalists
during
the
Civil
War,
and
Captain
Alexander
Dalziel
was
executed
in 1650.
The
Charteris
family
sold
the
castle
in
1904,
but
the
20
th
&
21
st
generations
of
the
family still reside in the village of Amisfield.
A must-see
website
by Robert Carney!
AMISFIELD TOWER (S4x32)
William Williamson Amisfield Dances
1- 4
1s+2s & 3s+4s Set&Link
5- 8
2s+1s
&
4s+3s
½
RH
across,
1s+2s
&
3s+4s
change
place
RH
on
sides
to 2 1 4 3 all on opposite sides
9-16
All dance reels of 4 on the sides
17-20
1s
&
3s
cross
RH
&
cast
up
while
2s
&
4s
½
turn
RH
&
lead
down
1
place curving long way in
21-24
1s
dance
down
middle
(2s+3s+4s
step
up)
&
curve
into
4
th
place
2 3 4 1
25-32
All circle 8H round & back