east-lothian-1924/05-125

Transcription

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

site it, is a circular heap of stones, 14 feet in
diameter and rising 1 foot above the surround-
ing ground, which probably formed a hut
circle, though there is no depression in the
centre. Three stone foundations of hut circles,
overgrown with grass and 12 feet in external
diameter, lie alongside the northern rampart,
and two similar semi-circular foundations, 6 feet
in diameter internally, which impinge on each
other, lie at the northern side of the north-
western entrance. Opposite the centre of the
south-western wall is a quadrangular hollow
with segments of four circular foundations
traceable in the angles, which suggest a group
of four hut circles, each about 12 feet in

[illustration inserted]
FIG. 95.-Innerwick Castle (No. 87).

diameter, almost touching. Between this
and the southern extremity of the fort
are two more circular hollows, while
against the south-western rampart are
two contiguous stony foundations, the
common wall between being 5 feet thick.
The more northerly example, 11 feet in
length, is sub-oval in shape but incom-
plete, while that to the south is rect-
angular, there being a wide entrance to
the north-east, and a large heap of debris
on the southern side.

xv. S.W. 20 May 1913.

MISCELLANEOUS.

86. Bridge at Humbie Mill.-The bridge
(fig. 88) over the Humbie Water at Humbie
Mill is apparently a 17th century con-
struction. It is built of uncoursed rubble and
has one segmental arch with a span of 24 feet
4 inches. The width of the soffit remains un-
altered at 14 1/2 feet, and the roadway is 13 feet
10 inches wide. The top of the parapet is
21 feet 2 inches above the water line. The
parapets overhang and are borne on unmould-
ed corbels.

xviii. N.E. (Edin. xv. N.E.) 9 April 1920.

INNERWICK.

CASTELLATED AND DOMESTIC STRUCTURES.

87. Innerwick Castle.-This ruin stands 3/4
mile due east of Innerwick, on the left bank of
the Thornton Burn, at an altitude of 250 feet
above sea-level. The deep but narrow channel

53

of the burn skirts a harder mass of rock to form
a promontory encompassed on the north, east
and south by the loop of the stream ; on this
promontory the castle (fig. 15) is built, being
cut off from the mainland on the west by an
artificial ditch 15 feet deep and 18 feet wide
hewn across the neck. On either side of this
ditch a row of five mortices for joists, cut in
the rock and spaced over a width of 8 1/2 feet,
suggests that the gap was crossed at one time
by a permanent wooden bridge.
The promontory measures 100 feet along its
major axis from east to west and has a mean
width of 53 feet from north to south. It is

[illustration continued]
FIG. 95.-Innerwick Castle (No. 87).

entirely covered with building of different
periods to within a few inches of the edge, the
disposition and area of the structures being
naturally governed by the site (fig. 95). So
ruinous are these that the arrangement of the
castle is difficult to elicit; the lowest storey only
remains, and even in that important features
such as accesses have disappeared. It may be
premised that a site of this nature would be
occupied from an early period, but the arrange-
ment on plan does not seem to warrant a date
earlier than the 15th century for the oldest
structures.
On west, south and possibly also on the
north the rock is crowned by a wall of enceinte
along its sides, the wall being embodied, pro-
bably during a reconstruction, in buildings to
the west of the main block, which lies 24 feet