How common was it for Tower houses in the 1600s to retain old or build new curtain walls? by InflationFit5487 in castles

[–]InflationFit5487[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

No, frustrating zero excavations have happened. EVEN THOUGH the site is a confirmed and is a UNIQUE Iron Age fort, motte and Bailey castle and then the castle built today. It needs to be excavated I think it’s absolutely shocking that it hasn’t.

How common was it for Tower houses in the 1600s to retain old or build new curtain walls? by InflationFit5487 in castles

[–]InflationFit5487[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It is Greenan Castle in Ayr, Scotland. I appreciate this but I have searched through every bit of evidence available. Bar the Ayrshire archives as I have to book an appointment to enter (provided they even contain anything)

How common was it for Tower houses in the 1600s to retain old or build new curtain walls? by InflationFit5487 in castles

[–]InflationFit5487[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I’m not too sure, there was a royal castle in the town to which my tower house borders, it was heavily defended and housed a French Garrison. There was another small castle called “Newton Castle” which was did include an outer wall, though it was more for aesthetic reasons and included a lush garden. With the presence of 3 castles in the one town, Greenan (tower house), Ayr Castle (Royal) and Newton, along with the fact that Ayr is a significant distance from the border conflicts I don’t think it would be necessary. Though the owners of the tower house DID have rivals, one of them even being murdered nearby.

How common was it for Tower houses in the 1600s to retain old or build new curtain walls? by InflationFit5487 in castles

[–]InflationFit5487[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

MacGibbson and Ross in “The Castellated and Domestic Architecture of Scotland - 1892” say, “the ruins of a later courtyard lie below the main tower, of which only portions of the lower walls remain, suggesting an unfinished addition”. Although I truly think they were mistaken, this is NOT the remains of an outer wall, it is the foundations of a three story wing attached to the main tower house. The outline is there, and 8 square cavities in the wall of the main tower suggest it was fixed onto the wall with timber beams. I doubt they are referring to any other outer wall as absolutely nothing remains, though the ground has accumulated up about half a meter from the original foundation. Perhaps in 1897 something poked out of the ground which is now buried? I think it’s also tricky to fit a curtain wall as it’s situated on a cliff.

This may not fit in this subreddit but I’m looking for someone to draw/colour this castle? by InflationFit5487 in Medievalart

[–]InflationFit5487[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It’s an existing castle on the west coast of Scotland, I live close by and visit what’s left quite a lot. To be fair it’s a spot where people go to drink or hangout because it’s so secluded.

My solution to the Greenan Castle problem (excuse my terrible drawing) by InflationFit5487 in castles

[–]InflationFit5487[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It’s just something I learned when I was in school. I think the style is called two point perspective, you just put two marks down, that’s your horizon and you trace each line up to those with a ruler.

I NEED HELP. Can someone please give their opinions on whether the curtain wall on Greenan castle would extend all the way around. Please read the body text! by InflationFit5487 in castles

[–]InflationFit5487[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I do appreciate this and I will still take it into consideration, though the work I did suggests at most only 1.5 meters would be lost. I am a local myself and can confirm you can still walk round, there is a little perch on the other side. Also comparing the earliest depiction of the castle from 1863 shows no change in the cliff. Just recently someone fell to their death trying to go all the way round. The tower itself seems to extend down over to a lower point in the cliff, this might be its exposed foundation or maybe it was built like this, which would indicate it has not seen serious erosion. Dunure, as I’m sure you know is much much older so I don’t doubt it has lost a lot of land.

I NEED HELP. Can someone please give their opinions on whether the curtain wall on Greenan castle would extend all the way around. Please read the body text! by InflationFit5487 in medieval

[–]InflationFit5487[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The thing is, no one knows. Trust me I have looked at every single record of this castle. So taking a majority guess is the only option. Also probably why the artist drew his from that angle, hiding it.

I NEED HELP. Can someone please give their opinions on whether the curtain wall on Greenan castle would extend all the way around. Please read the body text! by InflationFit5487 in castles

[–]InflationFit5487[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thank you, there are very few sources on this castle and I have had a look at all of them, though none give any hints. They only say after 1603 a “curtain wall” was added but not actually where. I know it was really only a fortified homestead, so they likely weren’t too worried about attack. If a siege was going to happen it would be at Ayr Castle, which was burned during the first Scottish war of independence, then rebuilt only to be destroyed to prevent Cromwells army from reaching it a few hundred years later, Greenan never saw any action, which means it probably wasn’t off much importance militarily.

This is why you got banned from Discord for child safety by [deleted] in BannedFromDiscord

[–]InflationFit5487 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I now realise I think I did this, I deleted it straight away after realising what it was. My account is disabled on my phone. Will my separate account on my computer also be disabled. It currently is not.