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Similar Amisfield Tower, Repentance Tower, Hoddom Castle, Barscobe Castle, Drumcoltran Tower | ||
Bonshaw Tower is an oblong tower house, probably dating from the mid 16th century, one mile south of Kirtlebridge, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, above the Kirtle Water. It is adjacent to a 19th-century mansion.
Contents
History
Bonshaw belongs to the Irving family. It was held in unbroken succession until the death of Sir Robert Beaufin Irving, a former captain of RMS Queen Mary, in 1954.
Structure
The castle, which is habitable, has three storeys, and a garret, with crow-stepped gables, within a parapet. The north-facing former attic light is now used as an open belfry.
Inside a modern porch is the entrance door, with the motto SOLI DEO HONOR ET GLORIA above. There is a monogramed pendant boss within the doorway. ]]. A vaulted entrance passage in the thickness of the wall leads to a vaulted basement. Each wall has a splayed shot-hole. The south-west angle contains a windowless dungeon, with a ventilation flue. There is a hatch in the vaulting to the first-floor Hall. From the north-east angle of the cellar a turnpike stair leads to all storeys of the tower.
The Hall , has a wide fireplace and four windows. There are two aumbries in the jambs while a third aumbry has an ogival lintel.
The bedroom, on the second floor, has a wall press and a garderobe. One of its four windows is high in the wall.
There is a machicolated opening about each embrasure of the parapet, which is drained by gargoyled cannon-spouts. The present pitched slate rrof was installed in the early 19th century, as the flagstones of the original roof were removed to floor a farmhouse.
It is a category A listed building.
