Blanerne Castle facts for kids
Blanerne Castle is what's left of a strong house from the 1500s. It's found near Blanerne House, a country home built in the 1700s. Both are located between Chirnside and Preston in the Scottish Borders. You can find them on the north side of the Whiteadder Water, about 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) north-east of Duns.
For over 400 years, Blanerne Castle was the main home of the Lumsdaine family. The parts of the castle you can still see today were built in the 1500s. However, people might have lived on this spot as early as the 1100s. The remains include a strong tower, which might have been a kitchen. There's also a separate building to the west that was likely a guard house. Blanerne Castle is now a Scheduled Ancient Monument. This means it's a very important historical site that is protected by law.
History of Blanerne Castle
Blanerne Castle was built to be a strong, fortified home. This means it was designed to protect the family living there from attacks. The main part of the castle that remains is thought to be a 'keep' or a kitchen block. A keep is a tall, strong tower that was often the safest part of a castle. The guard house nearby would have been where soldiers watched for danger.
The castle's long history shows how important it was to the Lumsdaine family. They lived here for many centuries, watching over their lands. Over time, castles like Blanerne changed. They went from being purely defensive forts to more comfortable homes.
The Rhyme of the Three Castles
There's an old rhyme from the Berwickshire area that talks about Blanerne Castle. It also mentions two other strong castles nearby: Billie Castle and Bonkyll Castle. The rhyme suggests these castles were built a long time ago, during the time of King David I. He ruled Scotland in the 1100s.
The rhyme also hints at their destruction after a difficult time called the Rough wooing. This was a period in the 1540s when England tried to force Scotland to agree to a marriage between their young rulers. Many Scottish castles were damaged or destroyed during this time.
Here is the rhyme:
Bunkle, Billie and Blanerne
Three castles strong as airn
Built when Davie was a Bairn
Theyll all gang doon,
Wi Scotland's Croon
An ilka ane shall be a cairn
The rhyme means:
- "Strong as airn" means strong as iron.
- "Davie was a Bairn" means when King David was a child.
- "Gang doon" means they will fall or be destroyed.
- "Wi Scotland's Croon" means with Scotland's crown (referring to the struggles for control of Scotland).
- "An ilka ane shall be a cairn" means each one will become a pile of stones, like a monument or a ruin.
This rhyme shows how important these castles were in protecting the Scottish Borders long ago.
Blanerne House Today
Blanerne House, which stands next to the castle ruins, was built in the 1700s. In the 1830s, a famous architect named William Burn drew up plans for the house. We don't know for sure if his plans were fully used.
However, a big fire in 1895 caused a lot of damage to the house. It was rebuilt in 1897, and that's how it looks today. Blanerne House now operates as a guest house. People can stay there and enjoy activities like fishing and game shooting.
The house is also a category B listed building. This means it's a building of special historical or architectural importance. It is protected to make sure its unique features are kept safe for the future.
