east-lothian-1924/05-097

Transcription

GARVALD & BARA.] INVENTORY OF MONUMENTS IN EAST LOTHIAN. [GARVALD & BARA.

musical instruments-a drum, shawms crossed
viol and lute-muskets, gauntlets, human heads
&c. Certain elements such as the knobs,
animal skull, shield-like cartouche, bow and
quiver of arrows, fruits, &c., closely resemble
those on one of the pilasters of the monument
to Louis XII. (died 1515) at St. Denis ; while
one or two appear on the plinth panels of the
Lauderdale tomb in St. Mary's, Haddington
(No. 68) which is of the early 17th century.
Horizontally the ground is divided by two
rows of shields bearing the arms of the Kings
of Scotland, England, France, Spain, Naples,
Aragonne, Sicily, Denmark and other countries.
Each shield is upheld by a pair of nude,
winged, boyish figures. In the middle of the
seventh panel from the dexter a lion and a
unicorn sit as supporters to a thistle under
a royal crown. If this be taken heraldically
it may indicate, and very likely does, a date
later than the union of 1603, the unicorn at
dexter for Scotland and lion at sinister for
England being the Scottish version of the royal
supporters. Near the top of the third com-
partment is a tilted shield of fantastic shape
overlaying a bow and quiver of arrows and
displaying in monogram the initials P.H.C.
obviously those of Patrick Hepburn and
Helen Cockburn his wife referred to below.
This with the character of the ornament fixes
the execution of the design at some time at
the end of the 16th or early in the 17th century,
when such decorated ceilings were in favour,
other examples of which have been found in
Collairnie Castle and Aberdour Castle, Fife, in
Cessnock Castle, Ayrshire and elsewhere.1 In
the compartment next to that containing the
initials are the words GRATUS EST. The portion
of the ceiling still in position is 20 feet 3 inches
long by 17 feet 6 inches wide, but two other
sections are preserved in the National Museum
of Antiquities. A lady's head and shoulders
in a circular panel show a ruff and gown cut
square at the neck, costume conformable to
the period given above. From these portions
much of the colour has disappeared.
The painted ceiling was exposed in 1864 on
the removal of a lath and plaster ceiling below
of late date.

DOVECOT.-Some 50 yards north of the house
is a 16th century dovecot circular on plan, rising
22 feet in four tiers to a modern cupola (fig. 23).

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SUNDIAL.-On the lawn south of the house
is a 17th century sundial of multi-dialled type.
At base there is a square pedestal on which
rests an octagon, bearing a polyhedron. Each
facet comprises a dial; the four main facets of
the uppermost member contain cupped dials.
INCISED CROSS.-On the keystone of an arch-
way in the north wall of the stable court is
incised a circle containing an incised cross of
six arms formed by intersecting arcs meeting
at a central point.
CAPITAL.-Against the entrance to the
stable court is a block of freestone on which
a moulded capital for a wall shaft is partially
wrought. The mouldings resemble 15th cen-
tury work, but the stone may be a reject
dating only from the restoration.
BELFRY.-The entrance to the stable court
is surmounted by a 17th century belfry oc-
tagonal on plan.
HISTORICAL NOTE.-In 1547 when an English
invasion was imminent, Elizabeth, Prioress of
Haddington, undertook to the Privy Council
" the cuire and keeping of the place and
fortalice of Nunraw " with an obligation to
keep the same " fra our auld ynemeis of Ingland
and all utharis " and deliver it to nobody
without the Governor's command, or raze it if
there is no alternative.2 Nevertheless the
" Nunne-rowe " fell into the hands of Lord
Grey of Wilton in the following year and was
kept for the English by laird of Brunstone.3
The estate of Nunraw was alternatively
known as Whitecastle4 and was transferred by
Elizabeth Hepburn, the last prioress of the
nunnery of Haddington, to the Hepburns of
Beanston, a junior branch of the Hailes family.
In 1565, 1566 and 1580 we have Patrick
Hepburn of " Quhicastell " son of John
Hepburn of Beanston.5 He died in November
1583. In 1595 appear Patrick Hepburn of
Whitecastle and Helen Cockburn his wife and
in 1615 Patrick Hepburn alias Nunraw.7 This
Patrick of Beanston and Whitecastle or Nun-
raw in 1617 granted to his son John, on the
occasion of his marriage, various lands in-
cluding Easter and Wester Nunraw.8 Pat.
Hepburn of Nunraw is on a list of heritors in
East Lothian in 1685 preserved among the
estate papers at Eaglescairnie.
The " raw " or " row " indicates a hamlet
or line of houses.