Drinking Fountainhead, Hawthornden Castle

Hawthornden Castle is a substantial fortified residence comprising a five-bay castle-style L-plan tower house built in 1638, together with the ruinous remains of a 15th century tower, arranged around a triangular courtyard. The complex occupies a dramatic location on a steep rock promontory above the River North Esk.

The northeast range represents a 1638 restoration of an earlier 15th century building. The northwest range was built in 1638. An attic and stair were added in the 19th century. The main block rises three storeys high above a basement (known as a laigh) with a garret above. Construction is of pink sandstone rubble with ashlar dressings. The building features a band course and eaves course to the southeast elevation of the northwest range, and a round tower to the north angle with string and eaves courses. Crowstepped gables punctuate the roofline.

The northeast (entrance) elevation is formed of an irregular five bays grouped two-two-one. The remains of the castle keep occupy the outer left, while a two-bay crowstepped gabled block sits to the right of centre. An architraved doorpiece with armorial pediment at ground level in the outer left bay contains a timber, bossed door. A half-blocked window appears at second floor level with a small garret window below the eaves above. The adjacent bay has a window at first floor level, another at second floor with garret window above, and a wallhead stack positioned between the bays. The two-bay block to the right of centre contains a ground floor window in its left bay, a second floor window with blocked garret window above. The right bay has a ground floor window, a first floor window with blocked garret window above, and a gablehead and stack above. The outer right bay contains a first floor window and a window breaking the eaves at second floor level.

The southwest elevation of the northeast range comprises two bays with the 15th century tower adjoining to the south. An architraved doorway with timber door at ground level appears in the bay right of centre, with a window at first floor above. The left bay has windows at each floor. An inset flat-headed doorway with segmental arch opens at ground level into the keep, giving access through a deep-set replacement wrought-iron gate into a barrel-vaulted recess.

The northwest elevation is formed of an irregular six bays, grouped two-one-two-one. The two-bay group right of centre has a bipartite window at ground level in the right bay, a bipartite window at first floor and a window at second floor, with a small crowstepped gable above. The left bay contains a first floor window and a second floor window above. The single-bay tower left of centre features a two-leaf timber panelled door with strip fanlight, with windows at each floor and a conical roof topped by a ball finial and weather vane. The two-bay crowstepped gabled group to the outer left has a first floor window in the right bay and a small garret window above. The left bay contains a second floor window with a gablehead stack to the centre above. The outer right bay has windows at ground and first floor.

The southeast elevation comprises an irregular seven bays. At ground floor in the central bay, a raised pedimented large commemorative plaque is accompanied by a square commemorative plaque above. A non-aligned window appears at first floor with a non-aligned dormer window bearing a monogrammed pediment above. In the bay right of centre, an architraved and corniced doorpiece with armorial plaque sits at ground floor level, with a window at first floor and a dormer window with monogrammed pediment above. The penultimate right bay contains a ground floor window, a first floor window and a dormer window with monogrammed pediment above. The outer right bay has a pedimented window at first floor. The bay left of centre features windows at ground and first floor with a monogrammed pedimented dormer window above. A part-glazed door at ground floor in the outer left bay, slightly set back, has a first floor window above. Tripartite French windows open at ground floor to the left (west) return, with a bipartite window at first floor level and a monogrammed and dated armorial triangular plaque to a crowstepped gablehead above.

The south range comprises the remnants of the 15th century castle bordering a sheer drop to the valley below, closing the third side of the triangular courtyard.

The glazing throughout is of various dates, including some 18th century windows with thick astragals and a row of 19th century dormers. Windows are mostly twelve-pane timber sash and case, with some nine- and four-pane variants. The south range carries a grey slate roof with slate to the dormers and tower. Ashlar coped stacks and cast-iron rainwater goods complete the exterior.

The interior was partially refurbished in 1990, when the southern chamber was brought back into use as a small library and study area with a storage room above, connected by a spiral staircase.

A circular wall of squared cream sandstone rubble surrounds a well sited in the triangular courtyard facing the glen.

The drinking fountainhead dates to the 17th century. Rectangular in plan, it is built of weathered, droved pink sandstone with a repaired plinth and features a carved armorial shield in a pediment and obelisk finial above. A hemispherical drinking cup sits to the centre of the square body. It is sited to the east of the main house.

A detached single-storey, two-bay shed stands at the north angle of the house. Square in plan with a crowstepped gable, it has a raised architrave and boarded door in each bay to the northeast front, with a boarded door set to the right of the southwest elevation.

The gatepiers are built of square-plan ashlar with cornice and pyramidal cap. The boundary walls are of squared rubble with rounded cope.

Beneath the castle in the glen lie caves of uncertain date and purpose. A long, low tunnel contains small sunken chambers along its left side. One chamber contains an iron gallery overlooking the well shaft from the courtyard above. The tunnel terminates in a three-sided chamber lined with nest boxes carved into the walls, forming a doocot. The castle has long been renowned for this warren of caves, and various theories surround their purpose. Despite suggestions that they may have provided shelter for Scottish troops facing English attacks, and their probable Bronze Age origins, no definitive answer has been established regarding their date or original function.