east-lothian-1924/05-168

Transcription

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

1 Illustrated and described in Proc. Soc.
Ant. Scot. xxiv. p. 165.
xiv. N.E. 9 April 1920.

138. Pencaitland House, Remains of-
Within the polices of Winton Castle, a hundred
yards north-north-east of Pencaitland Bridge,
are two symmetrical structures now inhabited
by employees on the Winton estate. These are
the wings of Pencaitland House, which was a
17th century structure, destroyed by fire in the
19th century. The wings were attached to the
main portion by a circled sweep of walling,
which in part remains. The contemporary
gateway opening on the high road opposite
the church contains a wrought iron gate
removed from Bloxholm Castle, England. On
the circled walling mentioned above is a small
lead casting representing a peacock in pride
above a cap of maintenance, the crest
of the Manners family.
HISTORICAL NOTE.-James Hamilton first of
Pencaitland had a charter of the lands on
July 3, 1696 (cf. Introd. p. xxiii). In 1712 he
became a judge with the title of Lord Pencait-
land. His great-grandson William Hamilton
Nisbet of Belhaven and Dirleton married Mary
daughter of Lord Robert Manners, brother of
the then Duke of Rutland. (Anderson's
Memoirs of the House of Hamilton, pp. 336-7).
xiv. N.E. 22 May 1920.

139. Woodhall.-On high ground half a mile
south-west of Pencaitland station is the
dwelling house of Woodhall,

[illustration inserted]
FIG. 132.-Woodhall
(No. 139).

which incorporated a portion
of a small tower c. 16th
century that was restored,
according to a tablet on
the building, in 1884. The
original portion (fig. 132) is
a two storied structure built
of yellow freestone rubble
originally covered with
roughcast. At the north-
east angle a circled turret is corbelled out.
The basement chamber is vaulted and measures
19 1/3 feet by 13 feet; the walls are 4 feet in
thickness. The windows throughout have
been enlarged.
HISTORICAL NOTE.-Early in the 17th cen-
tury Woodhall was in possession of John

89

Sinclair of Herdmanston, but in 1644 confirm-
ation was given of a charter in which Sinclair
resigned the barony of Wester Pencaitland,
including Woodhall and its manor-place, in
favour of Robert Sinclair of Longformacus
(Berwickshire), and the place was still in the
ownership of that family at the close of the
century.
R.M.S. s.a. No. 1536 ; Inquis. Spec. Hadd.
Nos. 337, 383, Cf. Art. No. 163.
xiv. N.E. 22 May 1920.

MISCELLANEOUS.

140. Pencaitland Bridge.-This spans the
river Tyne 100 yards west of the parish church,
and is a bridge of three pointed arches, the
outer of which have been altered. The central
arch is drop-centred in form and has five ribs on
the soffit. On the south side of the structure
between the central and west arches is a
panel, on which is carved a shield charged with
an engrailed cross for Sinclair. Above the
cross is the date 151(0?). Over the shield
there are apparently initials, which are almost
illegible but may be S. W. S. for Sir William
Sinclair.

xiv. N.E. 1 Sept. 1913.

141. Dovecot.-A large rectangular dovecot
stands in the haugh 50 yards north-west of
Pencaitland School. It measures 19 1/2 feet by
22 3/4 feet externally and rises in two stages
to a total hight of 30 feet. It is built of
rubble covered with harling, and the gables
are crowstepped ; the roof is of timber and is
slated. Beneath the eaves course and set over
the entrance is a projecting tablet, which may
be inscribed but is now covered with harling.

xiv. N.E. 22 May 1920.

142. Wester Pencaitland Village Cross.-
This cross stands at the cross roads on the south
side of the street. On a graduated base of
five square steps rests a pedestal, square on
plan and with an ogival intake at top. From
the pedestal a shaft, octagonal on plan, rises
to a carved capital carrying a cubical block
with dials on the sides ; the gnoma are copper.

xiv. N.E. 26 June 1913.