Corsbie Castle facts for kids

Corsbie Castle is an old, ruined castle from the 1500s. It's a type of building called a tower house. You can find it about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) west of Gordon, in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland. It sits north of a river called the Eden Water.

People also knew this castle as Corsbie Tower. Today, it is a special protected site because of its historical importance.

A Look Back in Time

Corsbie Castle was built in the 1500s. It was a strong tower house. For many years, a family called the Cranstons owned it. They lived there until the mid-1600s. The castle you see today is what's left of that old building.

What the Castle Looked Like

Corsbie Castle was built on a raised piece of ground. It was surrounded by a wet, marshy area, like a bog. The only way to get to it was by a path from the north.

The castle used to be very tall, with five floors. It also had a basement with a strong, arched ceiling. The building was shaped like a long rectangle, about 12 meters (40 feet) long and 8 meters (27 feet) wide. Its walls were very thick, about 1.8 meters (6 feet) on average!

Today, only parts of the south and east walls are still standing. They reach up to about 15 meters (50 feet) high. The rounded corners of the castle were made from carefully cut stones called ashlar. The rest of the walls were built from rough stones fitted together.

Around the castle, you can still see parts of old earthworks. These are like banks and ditches that formed a moat. They are best seen towards the southwest side of the castle.

Images for kids

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  Corsbie Castle