Borthwick Castle, Scottish Borders facts for kids

Borthwick Castle, Scottish Borders was a historic building from the 1500s. It was a special kind of tower house shaped like the letter "L". This castle was located about 1 mile (1.6 km) northwest of Duns in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland.

History of Borthwick Castle

This old castle belonged to a family known as the Cockburns. Over time, the castle fell into disrepair and became a ruin. After 1970, it was unfortunately destroyed by quarrying, which is when stone is dug out of the ground. Before it was completely demolished, archaeologists carefully dug up the site to learn more about it.

Today, a special stone stands near where the castle once was. This stone helps us remember the castle and its history. Experts believe that Borthwick Castle was not a strong fortress meant for battles. Instead, it was probably used as a watchtower to look out for danger and as a smaller home for the family.

What Borthwick Castle Looked Like

Borthwick Castle had a courtyard around its main buildings from the 1500s. There was also a newer house built later on the property.

The Tower's Design

The main tower was built in an "L" shape. In the inner corner of this "L" shape, there was a stair-tower that stuck out from the wall. This was supported by special stone brackets called "corbels."

Inside, the castle had a vaulted basement. This means the basement ceiling was curved like an arch, making it very strong. From the basement, a special staircase called a "scale-and-platt" staircase led up to the first floor. This type of staircase has straight sections (scales) and flat landings (platts).

Building Materials and Size

The tower was quite large, measuring about 56 feet (17 meters) long and 36 feet (11 meters) wide. Its walls were very thick, about 8 feet (2.4 meters) wide!

The castle was mostly built from strong stone held together with mortar. The only parts made of narrow bricks were around the fireplaces and window openings.