Newmilns Tower
| Newmilns Tower | |
|---|---|
 Newmilns Tower, Newmilns, East Ayrshire | |
  Newmilns Tower | |
| Coordinates | 55°36′28″N 4°19′30″W / 55.6077240°N 4.3249209°W |
| Site information | |
| Condition | ruined |
Newmilns Tower is a 16th-century tower house, on Main Street, Newmilns, north of the River Irvine, East Ayrshire, Scotland.[1] It may also be called Newmilns Castle or Ducat Tower.[2]
History
[edit]The Campbells of Loudon owned the castle,[2] Sir Hugo Campbell owned it in 1530.[1] It may also be called Newmilns Castle or Ducat Tower[3] Covenanters were imprisoned there in the 17th century, but a Covenantor force captured the tower, although their leader, John Low died in the attack. His gravestone is in the wall round the castle.[2]
Structure
[edit]Newmilns Tower is a rectangular tower house,[1] measuring 30 by 24 feet (9.1 m × 7.3 m), with walls 5 feet (1.5 m) thick,[2] having three storeys and an attic. There is a parapet. The corners are topped by corbelled-out rounds. It has a chamber in each floor, and a vaulted basement.[1] The entrance is at ground level,[2] protected by a heavy, double-planked, oak door, once secured by three oak drawbars with drawbar slots.[3] The great hall was on the first floor; it has an open fireplace, a garderobe in the north wall, a large window in a recess in the south wall, defensive slit windows in the east and west walls, and two aumbries. [3] Some iron bars inserted into the windows, and two cell doors with heavy locks, from the time when this floor was used as a prison divided into cells. remain in the building.[3] There is a wheel-stair in the southeast angle[2].An iron yett protected upper floors.[3] There would have been a surrounding wall. Timothy Pont recorded the tower as “surrounded by orchards, gardens and pleasances”.[3]