east-lothian-1924/05-118

Transcription

HADDINGTON.] -- INVENTORY OF MONUMENTS IN EAST LOTHIAN. -- [HADDINGTON.

The dwelling occupies the north-eastern part
of the enclosure, and against the north-western
wall are traces of a long range of building. The
structure is built of rubble with freestone
dressings and is now in the last stages of decay.
The walls are some 14 feet at their highest, but
only the vaulted ground floor of the dwelling
portion remains and is now used as a general
store for agricultural machinery and other
impedimenta, which also litter the wilderness
that was once the courtyard.

[illustration inserted]
FIG. 85.-Barnes Castle (No. 71).

[marginal note]
B 38961

The entrance has probably led through a
central tower on the south-western wall to the
courtyard, from which the dwelling is entered
by a central doorway admitting to a vestibule
with a passage on either hand giving access to
a range of vaulted chambers on the east ;
at each extremity of these passages and running
at right angles to them, two others communicate
with a couple of wings projecting within the
courtyard, with the projecting towers parallel
to these, and with the buildings against the
lateral walls. At the re-entering angles of the
wings circular staircases are housed within
square projections on either side of the main
door. The basement apartment of the north
wing has obviously been the kitchen ; there
is a wide fireplace in the east wall, adjacent to
which a service hatch opens beneath the stair ;
on the other side of the passage a mural
chamber is formed in the external wall. These
apartments are all ceiled with stone barrel
vaulting, whence the local name for the structure,

47

the " Vouts." The north-eastern projecting
tower alone is roofed in this manner. In each
of the side walls of the towers is a gunloop
enfilading the walls.
HISTORICAL NOTE.-The connection of the
Barnes estate with the Seton family began
with the grant by Robert Bruce in 1321-2 to
Alexander de Seyton of the whole land near
Haddington called " the Bernis " (totam terram
que vocatur lie Bernis juxta Hadington).1 In the
person of John, second surviving son of George,
seventh Lord Seton, the property was conferred
on a cadet branch of the family. John served
in Spain and returned to hold office in the
household of James VI. "He made ane great
building at the Barnes, Voult height, before
his death, intending that building bound a
court."2 John Seton of Barnes died in 1594.
From the character of the remains, the per-
sistence of the name "the Vaults," and the
absence of any further reference of the building,
it might be inferred that it was never carried
further than the vaulted levels at which John
Seton left it. George Seton of Barnes, the
Jacobite Earl of Dunfermline, sold the estate
in 1715.3

1 Reg. Mag. Sig. i., p. 452 ; 2 Hist. of Seyton
Maitland Club p. 61 ; 3 Family of Seton ii.,
p. 628.

v. S.E. (" The Vaults, remains of.") 1 July
1913.

72. " Bothwell Castle."-The ruin of this
town house, which dates from the late 16th or
early 17th century, occupies a site on the left
bank of the River Tyne 100 yards below the
new bridge. It covers a considerable area,
extending from the river bank to East Gate
Street, which is the main access to the town
from the east. Fig. 87 shows the condition of
the structure in 1897, while fig. 86, taken in
1913, shows its present state of ruin.
On plan the structure consisted of a main
block running north and south parallel to the
street and two wings, which extended eastwards
to the river and enclosed a small courtyard.
At the south-west angle of the frontage there
projects a circular tower, in which was placed
the main entrance. Above this is a weather
worn armorial panel within the usual moulded
border. The entrance in the tower has long