Hoddom Castle is a large tower house in
Dumfries and Galloway
Dumfries and Galloway ( sco, Dumfries an Gallowa; gd, Dùn Phrìs is Gall-Ghaidhealaibh) is one of 32 unitary council areas of Scotland and is located in the western Southern Uplands. It covers the counties of Scotland, historic counties of ...
, south
Scotland. It is located by the
River Annan
The River Annan (''Abhainn Anann'' in Gaelic) is a river in south-west Scotland. It rises on Annanhead Hill and flows through the Devil's Beef Tub, Moffat and Lockerbie, reaching the sea at Annan, Dumfries and Galloway after about 40 miles.
...
, south-west of
Ecclefechan and the same distance north-west of
Brydekirk
Brydekirk (Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic ( gd, Gàidhlig ), also known as Scots Gaelic and Gaelic, is a Goidelic language (in the Celtic branch of the Indo-European language family) native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a Goidelic langua ...
in the parish of
Cummertrees. The castle is protected as a category A
listed building.
History
The lands of Hoddom or Hoddam belonged to the
Herries Herries is a surname. For the meaning and origins of this name please refer to Harris (surname).
Herries may refer to:
* Lord Herries of Terregles, a title in the Peerage of Scotland
** Herbert Herries, 1st Lord Herries of Terregles (c.1460–afte ...
family, allies of the Bruce family who were
Lords of Annandale
The Lordship of Annandale was a sub-comital lordship in southern Scotland ( Annandale) established by David I of Scotland by 1124 for his follower Robert de Brus. The following were holders of the office:
*Robert de Brus, 1st Lord of Annandale, 1 ...
from 1124. It passed to the
Carruthers family, and then to the
Maxwells
Maxwell's, last known as Maxwell's Tavern, was a bar/restaurant and music club in Hoboken, New Jersey. Over several decades the venue attracted a wide variety of acts looking for a change from the New York City concert spaces across the river. Max ...
.
At the core of the castle is an L-plan
tower house, built in the 16th century.
[ It was probably built for Sir John Maxwell, who acquired Hoddom in the mid 16th-century when he married the heiress Agnes, Lady Herries.][
In the aftermath of the reign of Mary, Queen of Scots, the Regent Moray besieged Hoddom, which capitulated after ten hours, on 21 June 1568. It was briefly the base of Douglas of Drumlanrig, a Warden of the Scottish West March, but was recaptured in 1569 by supporters of Queen Mary. The following year it was attacked by the English under Lord Scrope, who blew up the tower.][
This tower was repaired and expanded in the 17th century to form a courtyard castle. It was acquired by Sir Richard Murray from the 6th Lord Herries, and then became the property of the ]Earl of Southesk
Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form ''jarl'', and meant "chieftain", particular ...
in 1653.[ In 1690 it passed to the Sharpe family. In around 1826, General Matthew Sharpe of Hoddom commissioned William Burn to design modern extensions to the south and west of the castle. Hoddom was purchased in 1877 by the Brook family of Meltham, Huddersfield, who later bought nearby Kinmount House. Further extensions were built in a neo-Jacobean style to the north and west, some at least to designs by architects Wardrop and Anderson.][
The house was requisitioned by the military during the Second World War, and was not reoccupied afterwards. In the 1970s William Burn's extensions were largely demolished.][ The castle now stands in the grounds of a caravan park, and the remaining 19th-century additions are used as offices. The tower house is derelict, and has been included on the ]Buildings at Risk Register for Scotland
The Buildings at Risk Register for Scotland records buildings of national architectural or historic interest which are considered to be under threat. The list is maintained by Historic Environment Scotland (HES). The register was established in 1 ...
. It is also included on Historic Scotland's Castle Conservation Register, which aims to identify buildings which could be successfully restored. In March 2009 planning permission was granted for a redevelopment of the castle, together with the building of a hotel, chalets and a golf course.
Repentance Tower
The Repentance Tower
The Repentance Tower is a very rare example of a mid-16th century watch tower standing on Trailtrow Hill, six miles north-west of Annan, Dumfries and Galloway. Built in 1565 by John Maxwell, the tower takes its name from an inscription ''Repen ...
is a very rare example of a mid-16th century watch tower standing on nearby Trailtrow Hill. Built in 1565 by John Maxwell
References
External links
Hoddom Castle Caravan Park
*
Video footage and history of the Repentance Tower
{{Castles in Dumfries and Galloway
Castles in Dumfries and Galloway
Category A listed buildings in Dumfries and Galloway
Listed castles in Scotland
Buildings at Risk Register for Scotland