Courtyard Buildings (East Range), Neidpath Castle

Courtyard Buildings (East Range), Neidpath Castle

The castle's east range courtyard buildings comprise a 17th century section to the left, originally single storey with an upper level added during the 18th century, containing no surviving interior features. To the right stands a 3-storey range, with the ground floor originally a 16th century brew or bake house, later lowered with additions made. A thick stone screen wall from the 17th century bounds the courtyard to the north.

The principal (east) elevation features six radial steps leading to a bolection-moulded door surround, formed from an earlier window, with rounded corners and rosettes in the spandrels. The door comprises two leaves of boarded timber and leads to the entresol floor. To the left of the first floor stands a small blind window to a former mural chamber. Centrally placed and re-opened circa 1986 is a medieval window; to the right is a larger window serving the 17th century Chalmer, with the upper portion of the elevation blind. High corbelled parapets to left and right form covered walks to the north and south elevations, each with a central window. A high central wallhead stack with later timber balustrade to the flanks forms an open east wall walk.

The north elevation contains a central 17th century ground floor window with original iron yetts from the entrance and a postern door serving as bars. Directly above rises the upper portion of a medieval arrowslit. The rest of this elevation is blind. A high corbelled parapet covered to form a north wall walk contains three regularly placed small windows with blind pistol holes dating to circa 1600, in-filled in the late 17th century, separated by a central wallhead stack.

The west (rear) elevation follows an L-plan comprising the main castle to the left and centre, with a west wing adjoining to the right. The main castle features a former postern to the re-entrant angle of the ground and entresol floor, protected by an iron yett. A larger window above serves the first and second floors to the left; a small lower window to the second floor left lights a private stair. A pistol loop appears above and to the right of the main window, lighting a safe room. A high corbelled and covered parapet at the left corner forms a west wall walk. The west wing's elevation is partially ruined to the right and right return; the left return contains a small ground floor window with single windows to the first and second floors and lower lesser windows to the left. A window to the right of the parapet walk features a stone outlet of a basin to the left, with remains of a stone gargoyle at the angle.

The south elevation shows the main castle to the right with an original ground floor entrance door, irregular height paired windows to each floor above with smaller irregular windows adjacent to the left, and smaller squared windows to the enclosed walk and gablehead. The west wing to the left remains intact to the first floor with a central window; upper floors are ruinous with a later pitched roof protecting the lower floors and a much later diagonal walkway spanning the upper floors. Eight, twelve and sixteen-pane glazing appears in timber sash and case windows. A circa 1938 grey slate roof sits on open timbers with single-rafter construction, sole-plates and wall pieces, two collars (local slates originally from Stobo and Thornilee). Remnants of a gablehead stack appear to the south; a tall harled wallhead stack to the east and north; remnants of a smaller stack mark the re-entrant angle.

The interior contains a stone flagged mural entrance lobby and a main turnpike stair with a vaulted cell, possibly a porter's lodge, opposite. An adjacent barrel-vaulted chamber and service stair are present. A prison pit with latrine is accessed from an upper hatch. The 17th century entresol floor rests on timber joists. A scale-and-platt stair rises to upper floors with windows on the south wall at landings, bottle-nosed treads and a solid newel. An entresol level chamber in the wing contains an earlier roll-moulded fire surround incorporating fleur-de-lis ornament in the lintel. Various aumbrys and mural garderobes appear in chambers throughout.