Falside Castle

15th century 4-storey keep, enlarged into mansion with L-plan addition to S in 16th century; substantially restored, Ian S Parsons, 1982-5; D H Moran, builder. Various windows re-opened and others inserted in course of restoration, in sympathetic manner. Sited on high ground (Falside Hill). Freestone rubble, partly coursed in earlier work, with oyster shell pinning; ashlar dresing repairs and brick rebuilding with white harling 1982-5.

15TH CENTURY KEEP: rectangular-plan, circa 30 x 39 feet. 4th storey vaulted. Crenellated parapet walk to wallhead and crowstepped, gabled cap-house to NE angle. Round arched doorway in N elevation. Minimum of openings at ground, irregularly placed arrow slit windows and fewer larger windows in upper floors, some altered in 17th century, bearing backset margins and chamfered arrises.

INTERIOR: mural stair leading to 1st floor to left of door, turnpike above 1st floor; pit dungeon; flagstones; stone corbels retained.

16TH CENTURY ADDITION: to S elevation of keep. Relieving arches to windows; quirk-edged roll mouldings. Door in W elevation (surround renewed, 1982) with square panel above. Chamfered angle to SW, corbelled to square above. Round tower set in re-entrant angle, mitred above ground floor on rectangular base. S elevation symmetrical; crowstepped, gabled centre bay with window to each of 3 upper floors

and gablehead stack; borbelled angle turrets with candle-snuffer roofs. Sizeable set-off wallhead stack to E elevation, flanked by windows breaking eaves in modern gabled dormerheads, 1 dated 1982, 1 bearing initials TMC CHH. 2 further such gabled dormerheads to W elevations.

INTERIOR: not seen (1989).

Multi-pane glazing patterns. Grey slates.

OUTBUILDING: rectangular plan, single storey, gabled outbuilding, sited to N of castle; freestone rubble; much altered, with red and grey corrugated sheet metal roof.

RETAINING WALL: largely renewed, 1982. Freestone rubble with rubble coping, adjoined to castle.