Old Woodhouselee Castle (4)
Looking back along the line of the semi-subterranean main block. The building was actually of the L-plan design. The wing extended off to the left at the far end, a storey higher, because its foundations are not down in the cleft.
There is some uncertainty about exactly who built Old Woodhouselee and when. Everyone seems reasonably happy that it was built by Sir Oliver Sinclair, but there was more than one Sir Olly around at that time.
The most popular theory is that he was Sir Oliver Sinclair of Pitcairnie, who was the favourite courtier of King James V, who having found himself in command of the army, so disastrously lost the Battle of Solway. This would make him the 3rd son of George Sinclair (according to Wikipedia), who was the son of Oliver St Clair, 12th Baron of Roslin, and his wife Agnes Crichton, or, more probably, he was George's brother and the 4th son of the 12th Baron.
To suit Sir Oliver Sinclair of Pitcairnie's dates, it is generally suggested that the castle was built in the first half of the 16th century, however Historic Environment Scotland date the building to the late 16th or early 17th century, which if correct, throws a little doubt on Oliver's identity.
Old Woodhouselee Castle (4)
Looking back along the line of the semi-subterranean main block. The building was actually of the L-plan design. The wing extended off to the left at the far end, a storey higher, because its foundations are not down in the cleft.
There is some uncertainty about exactly who built Old Woodhouselee and when. Everyone seems reasonably happy that it was built by Sir Oliver Sinclair, but there was more than one Sir Olly around at that time.
The most popular theory is that he was Sir Oliver Sinclair of Pitcairnie, who was the favourite courtier of King James V, who having found himself in command of the army, so disastrously lost the Battle of Solway. This would make him the 3rd son of George Sinclair (according to Wikipedia), who was the son of Oliver St Clair, 12th Baron of Roslin, and his wife Agnes Crichton, or, more probably, he was George's brother and the 4th son of the 12th Baron.
To suit Sir Oliver Sinclair of Pitcairnie's dates, it is generally suggested that the castle was built in the first half of the 16th century, however Historic Environment Scotland date the building to the late 16th or early 17th century, which if correct, throws a little doubt on Oliver's identity.