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The Gatehouse website record of

Bridekirk (Brydekirk Mains, St Bryde's Tower)

a location shown on a 1590 map of the West Marches of Scotland (The Aglionby Platt)

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Brydekirk Tower

In the civil parish of Annan.
In the historic county of Dumfriesshire, Scotland.
Modern Authority of Dumfries And Galloway, Scotland.
1974 county of Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.

OS Map Grid Reference: NY18697111
Latitude 55.02789° Longitude -3.27343°

This is certain as the location of Bridekirk shown on the Aglionby Platt.

There are masonry ruins/remnants remains.

The likely form(s) of this building in 1590 are;

  • Tower House (gentry).

A section of the 1590 Aglionby Platt. Image reproduced by permission of the National Library of Scotland
Reproduced by permission of the National Library of Scotland
Description

(NY 186 711) St Bryde's Tower (NR) (Remains of) (OS 6" map (1957))
A fragment, 15ft. long, 3 ft. broad and 25 ft. high, of the N wall of the tower mentioned in 1590 survives, surrounded by out buildings on Brydekirk Mains Farm. (RCAHMS 1920)
The remains of the tower at NY 1869 7111 are as described by RCAHMS. (Visited by OS (RD) 23 October 1967)
No change to previous field report. (Visited by OS (IA) 22 February 1973)
At the N end of the E range of Brydekirk Mains steading (NY17SE 70), there is what is probably the gable wall of a 17th-century laird's house (previously interpreted as the remains of Brydekirk Tower). The extant portion has a slight external batter and rises to what is probably a crow-stepped gable. At the apex there is a corbel, probably for a chimney. The Internal face of the wall has been remodelled, but at first floor level, on the W, there is a semi-circular recess, probably for a newel-stair. Latterly, the recess has been re-used as the embrasure for a fireplace, the E jamb of which is in situ and wrought with a chamfered arris. Viewed from the exterior, a flue is apparent rising to the apex of the gable. A doorway in the adjoining range at first floor level has a jamb which is also wrought with a chamfered arris. (Visited by RCAHMS (IMS), 24 August 1993)
Listed as tower. (RCAHMS 1997) (Canmore)
Comments

Classified in Canmore as a 'Laird's House'. This is almost certainly the fortified house shown on the 1590 map. These house's have been assumed to be towers although many were probably two storey pele houses. This house seems to have been a two storey house of somewhat better quality than most pele-houses.
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Sources of information, references and further reading
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This record created on 20/07/2015 10:34:39; This record last updated on 17/09/2015 10:47:41

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