Balwearie Castle (1)
I have barely escaped the confines of Kirkcaldy and I am already at the next castle - there are a lot of castles in Fife! This is the surviving half of Balwearie Castle which stands a mile beyond the western edge of Kirkcaldy. Once a quite private estate, it is now sprouting posh houses. If you decide to pay a visit here yourself, don't make the mistake I made and allow your GPS to take you in via the east drive, particularly if you are driving a motorhome, it's an exciting ride! Approach via the north drive, which is sealed.
Balwearie Castle is a 15th century tower, of which only the east gable wall and stubs of the north and south walls survive. The rest no doubt was built into the house that survived it, in the trees nearby. What remains stands fairly complete to the corbels that supported the parapet wall, 45ft above ground level. The masonry is of good quality coursed ashlar, which is why later builders were unable to resist taking its stone.
Tusking up to a height of 11ft on the south-east angle suggests that a barmkin extended to the south and west.
Balwearie Castle (1)
I have barely escaped the confines of Kirkcaldy and I am already at the next castle - there are a lot of castles in Fife! This is the surviving half of Balwearie Castle which stands a mile beyond the western edge of Kirkcaldy. Once a quite private estate, it is now sprouting posh houses. If you decide to pay a visit here yourself, don't make the mistake I made and allow your GPS to take you in via the east drive, particularly if you are driving a motorhome, it's an exciting ride! Approach via the north drive, which is sealed.
Balwearie Castle is a 15th century tower, of which only the east gable wall and stubs of the north and south walls survive. The rest no doubt was built into the house that survived it, in the trees nearby. What remains stands fairly complete to the corbels that supported the parapet wall, 45ft above ground level. The masonry is of good quality coursed ashlar, which is why later builders were unable to resist taking its stone.
Tusking up to a height of 11ft on the south-east angle suggests that a barmkin extended to the south and west.