General
History
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Castles
Cot (Kat) Castle
Ringsdale Castle
Kemps Castle
Cot (Kat) Castle
Not much is known of this mysterious castle which once enchanted the
banks of the Avon. Resting on a precipitous cliff face, the castle or
‘Keep’ as it should be known, was home to the Hamiltons in the year
1500AD. The failure of Edward I to impose lasting peace in Scotland
brought about three centuries of border warfare. With the constant
destruction and changing possession of castles, it proved to be time
consuming and expensive task to constantly maintain and defend great
fortresses. Thus the 14th and 15th centuries saw the evolution of a
type of ‘keep’ or ‘tower house’ more appropriate to the limited
resources of the defenders. This stone structure was both fireproof and
capable of being defended should the castle be stormed. Basically it
was a type of fortified house rather than a castle. In Ireland and
Scotland keeps tended to be smaller than their English counterparts, a
compromise between comfort and security where the sudden raid was
feared more than the prolonged siege.
The basic type of keep was either square or rectangular rising through
three or more storeys enclosing hall, chamber, kitchen, chapel and
final place of refuge. Cot castle was probably very similar to the keep
(tower house) within Craignethan castle which is thought to date from
the 15th century. Cot castle is noted in Bartholomew’s Castles map of
Scotland as a ‘keep’ and in 1836 there were said to be remains still
visible.
In the 1937 Statistical Account of
Stonehouse mention is made of Cot
castle in the following extract: “Among
the documents discovered in
1887 in the Hamilton Chamberlain’s office, is a notarial instrument,
narrating that in terms of a charter granted by himself, Alexander
Hamilton of Catcastell, passed to the one-mark of Woodland and the
half-merk land of Brownland, lying in the barony of Stanehouse and the
sheriffdom of Lanark and there gave sasine of these lands with his own
hands to James Wynzet, his heirs and assignees in usual form, 29th
January 1511-12.”
Cot castle farm was later built on this site but fell into disrepair
and was abandoned at the end of the 1970’s. There was also a railway
station sited here for transporting goods. Various derivatives of name
are listed under placenames.
Ringsdale Castle
Like Cot castle, Ringsdale was probably a Scottish ‘keep’ rather than a
castle. It once stood high on the roof of the Avon gorge overlooking
the winding waters of the river. The name of the castle possibly
derives from the ancient language of the Britons, Rhyn, signifying a
promontory or hill. The word has been corrupted in pronunciation to
Ringsdale. Today all that remains of the castle is the raised ‘motte’
at the summit of the gorge overlooking the river bank. Even the
romantically located Glenavon cottage which once stood next to
Ringsdale has vanished though a small corner of its walls still stands
marking its resting place.
On a map of 1838, there is marked a mill known as Cloxy mill (Clocksy,
1864) near the remains of Ringsdale castle. Today there are still ruins
of the mill to be seen on the banks of the Avon, but no records of its
origins.
Castles appear to be abundant in this area. On the outskirts of the
parish can be found the sites of Allanton, Brocket, Plotcock, Glassford and Darngaber castles.
Kemps Castle
During my research into castles within the parish I came across ‘Kemp
castle’ in several statistical accounts
including Robert Naismith’s
book, which states that one of the names given to Cot castle in the
past had been Kemp castle. Naismith refers to Bleau’s map of 1596 as
his reference. I initially took this information for granted and used
it in my booklet ‘The Historic Sites of Stonehouse’. As I have found in
the past, it is often wiser to research the subject matter personally,
for when I consulted the map I found in fact that there were two ‘Kat
castles’ and a ‘Kemp castle’ where we more commonly know as Castlehill.
My theory is that Kemps castle, was that of the former fortification of
Lord Lee, known as Castlehill just off the Spittal Road. My
case then, and now, is based on the following information. Firstly, the
case against Kemps castle being Castlehill is at first viewing quite
strong in comparing the location of the castle against neighbouring
homesteads on Blaeus map, with those of the more accurate William
Forrest map of 1816. For instance, Rogerhil (Rogerhill, 1816), Lochhead
(Lochhead, 1816), Goushill (Golfhill, 1816), Tounhead (Townhead, 1816),
Blakwood (Blackwood, 1816), Woodhead (Woodhead, 1816), Birkwood
(Birkwood, 1816), Wolburn (Wellburn, 1816) and Kellylies (Kellowlees),
all lie above the siting of Kemps Castle of Blaeus map, suggesting the
castle probably lay nearer Kirkmuirhill or Lesmahagow.
Murslant (Muirsland, 1816) and Southfield (Southfield, 1816) appear to
be in close proximity to Kemps castle but no record of a castle appears
on Forrests map in the vicinity. There does, however, appear the name
of a dwelling named Kerse between Southfield and Muirsland at the
meetings of the Nethan Water and Teglum Burn, which would appear to be
a possible siting according to Blaeus map. (Carse; an extensive stretch
of earth or sand left by a flood or flow, especially in a river valley).
The cartographer of the 1654 map is not precise in recording the
localities of steadings, as we can trace many of these sites to present
day farms and manor houses, which don’t translate to the ordnance
survey maps of the early 19th century onwards. However, some place
names and landscape features are easily identifiable. These features
have led me to the conclusion that Kemps castle is most probably
Castlehill, by locating known place names with natural features.
This was done by first locating Dalserf at the horseshoe on the Clyde,
clearly identified on both maps, with the homestead of Dalbeg recorded
on both maps in close proximity to the horseshoe in the river. At the
north end of the horseshoe, on both Blaeus map and Forrests map, a
river leads directly to the siting of Kemps castle (Castlehill). On
Blaeus map, the river is named Nether B. (presume B. means Burn),
compared with the 1816 map which records the river as Dalserf Burn.
However, Dalserf Burn passes through the village of ‘Netherburn’.
Having confirmed the ‘burn’ on both maps, I was able to link the
steadings of Korsall (Cornsalloch, 1816), Milburn (Millburn, 1816),
Brumfild (Broomfield, 1816) and Murhead (Muirhead, 1816) along the burn
to Castlehill.
Another point in favour of the location and origin of Kemps castle,
relates to Kitchen and Barbers map of 1781, which shows the castle
prominently situated in the general location of ‘Castlehill’. For
‘Castlehill’ not to be mentioned, on this, or Blaeu’s map only 35 years
later by William Forrest, would suggest to me that they are one and the
same residence. Castlehill according to records appears to have been in
ruin in 1710, though Kemps castle is recorded as such on James Dorrets
maps of 1750, 1751 and 1761. The last recorded reference to the name
relates to Robert Campbells map of 1790. On Robert Ainslies map of 1789
the castle here is record as Bridgeholm Castle. By 1885, however, no
evidence was present of its former existence according to Naismith.
Today only the ruins of a later 19th century farm are found.
Whatever the answer to the mystery surrounding Kemps castle, Stonehouse
possesses, over the past 400 years, many lasting place names of
historical record which in their content shed light upon the
development of the village.
Castlehill today lies about 600 feet above sea level, commanding an
excellent panoramic view of the surrounding countryside. In 1710
Castlehill belonged to Lord Lee who later moved to Cambusnethan House
in the Clyde Valley. The site was said to be ruinous and it is possible
that it then merely became known as Castlehill.
In the Scots dialect kemp means; one who fights in single combat, or a
professional fighter, a variety of potato, or a stalk and seed head of
rib grass. It is possible that this castle had been an ancestral home
of the Kemp family, of whom there was a large concentration in the
Hamilton area at one time. Hamilton still retains the name by way of
‘Kemp Street’ off Quarry Street. The name, however, is more commonly
associated with Aberdeenshire.
There are two Kat castles on Bleau’s map, one of which we know to be
present one located at the head of Strathaven Road. The second appears
to be in the region of High Longridge (Langrigg) farm and is indicated
merely as ‘Kat castle B’. A more detailed analysis of the maps has also
led me to believe that the ‘B’ in Blaeu’s Nether B. (Netherburn) will
also be the case for Kat castle B. which I first thought was an earlier
‘Cot (Kat) castle’, but on reflection think this ‘B’refers to a burn
leading to Cot castle.
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