More information : (NY 558502) Dunwalloght Castle (GT) (site of) (1)
Although no one can say with certainty where Dunwalloght Castle
stood, it seems likely that the site shown by the OS is correct, for
Nicolson and Burn say that here there were in 1777 "the ruins of a
large castle or building" and Hutchinson in 1794 notes that the moat,
rampart and entrance on the west were then very distinct.
The remains now (1908) consist of grassy banks one to two feet high
and three feet wide forming two adjoining quadrangles, the western
measuring 65' by 35' and the other 80' by 54'. (2)
There are no visible remains of Dunwalloght Castle. A building was
probably sited on the steading at NY 55815021 where two contiguous
enclosures, barely traceable as slight stone-studded banks, resemble
the 1908 plan. Adjacent, and set at angle of 35 to the former are
two further enclosures of roughly the same proportions formed by
turf-covered building foundations approximately 1m wide and 0.5m high
(see survey). The disparity in condition between the two complexes,
however, suggests that they are not contemporary. The whole occupies
an elevated position on slightly undulating ground. The only apparent
'earthworks' are an artificial scarp 1.3m high with an accompanying
berm 6m wide separating the building area from natural slopes in the
NE; and the vague impression of a ditch continued along the SE side.
There is no evidence of a 'moat' in the SW where it was noted by
Hutchison, and the site is contained on the NW by a small natural
ridge. Surveyed at 1:2500. (3)
Listed as a vanished castle by Cathcart King. (4)
The remains of a rectilinear enclosure and some internal features are visible as earthworks at the site of Dunwalloght Castle on air photos and on lidar imagery. These remains may be of medieval or post medieval date. The enclosure is centred at NY5580 5019 and measures 83x74m internally. The northern edge is visible as a cropmark on air photos taken in 1971 and appears it appears to have been levelled on the lidar imagery. The eastern edge runs along a scarp slope, it appeared to be fairly well defined in 1971 but now has been partly infilled. The southern side is defined by a mutilated scarp and the southern corner is visible as a cropmark. The western edge is overlain by a post medieval wall and building and not visible on any of the sources examine.
Internally the enclosure contains the post medieval building (at NY5579c5016) and associated disturbances, but also an arrangement of low narrow embanked features. These appear to define two adjoingin rectilinear enclosures measuring 20x11m and 25x17m. It is not clear if these are the same features described by authority 2. (5-8)
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