Craigcaffie Tower

Craigcaffie Tower

Craigcaffie Tower is a 3-storey rectangular-plan tower with an attic storey, built circa 1570 with later additions and repaired by France Smoor in 1983. It measures 30 feet 9 inches from east to west and 19 feet 9 inches from north to south. The ground floor is vaulted. The tower is constructed of harled sandstone with polished ashlar dressings.

The tower features corbelled parapets to the east and west gable elevations, terminating in angle bartizans at each corner. These bartizans contain circular gunloops. Spout holes pierce the parapets. A moulded eaves course runs along the north and south elevations and merges with the corbelling. Windows at the upper floors have moulded surrounds, though some have been renewed.

The north (entrance) elevation is arranged in 2 bays. A roll-moulded doorpiece with a timber door is positioned to the outer right, with a gunloop to its left. Above the entrance are the remains of a rectangular panel frame, followed by a square panel frame between the first and second floors and a small non-aligned opening above. Two moulded corbels support a shute at the eaves. The left bay contains regular non-aligned fenestration. The second floor window is enriched with dogtooth moulding. The north-east angle bartizan is carved with a stone relief depicting hands holding a head.

The south (rear) elevation contains 3 bays with a central timber door at ground level (a later insertion). The fenestration is non-aligned, with single windows at the first floor in the centre and at the first and second floors in the flanking bays. A small round-headed opening sits to the left of centre at the second floor. Two swept dormers at attic level are later insertions.

The east side elevation features a single window at the second floor to the right and openings to the gablehead. The west side elevation has three small openings to the left at ground, first and second floor levels, with openings also present to the gablehead.

Windows throughout are of plate glass in 6 and 12-pane timber frames. The roof is of steep grey slate with rooflights, crowstepped stone skews, gablehead stacks to the east and west, a wallhead stack to the north, and circular cans.

The interior has not been documented since 1999.

Historical Context

Craigcaffie, formerly known as Kellechaffe, was granted by Robert the Bruce to John, son of Neil, Earl of Carrick. From him the Neilsons, who built the castle, claimed their descent. The initials and arms of John Neilson and his wife Margaret Strang were carved into the square panel on the north elevation, though these are now indistinguishable. Inscribed skewputts on the north bore the date 1-5-7 (indicating 1570 as the decade of the tower's erection) and repeated the initials IN and MS. The skewputts to the south bore heraldic roses.

The tower was previously surrounded by a fosse. During the 1980s conversion from a disused tower to a dwelling house, the ground floor windows and attic dormers were inserted as later additions to the original structure.