Site Report

WoSASPIN 8386

(NS 5237 5686) Tower (NR) (site of)
OS 1:10,000 map, (1974)

Pollock Castle (NAT)
OS 6" map, (1938)

Pollock is owned by a family of the same name, who have held the lands here since the time of Alexander III (1249-86). The present owner, Sir Rober Pollock who has improved his house with stately new buildings and adding dykes, gardens, dovecots and summerhouses. (Probably written early 18th century).
W Macfarlane 1906-8.

Pollock Castle was originally a peel tower, or simple keep, of which the east and south walls seem to have been demolished by Sir Robert Pollock in the last quarter of the 17th century. A remnant with its thick west and north walls still retains a few features such as the narrow staircase, small windows and a narrow cupboard. This remnant was incorporated into a mansion between 1686 and 1693. This latter house was almost entirely destroyed by fire in 1882 and after being in ruins for some years, was restored and extended a little before 1892. The old character was preserved as far as possible, the ancient features being restored to what they were before the fire of 1882. In 1704, 1706 and 1710, Sir Robert also erected two separate blocks contain ing stable, hayloft, kiln and dwelling house.
D MacGibbon and T Ross 1887-92.

Pollock Castle was demolished in 1947 and no fabric of the tower remains, although traces of the north, east and west walls of the19th century building can still be traced, barely above the ground level. The whole area is overgrown with shrubs etc.
Information from OS revisor (C P) 23 June 1969.

Part of the foundation of the Medieval tower and a fragment of the mansion wall remain on Castle Hill. There are the remains of an earthwork at the base of the hill.
T C Welsh 1977.

NS 5236 5685 An archaeological evaluation was undertaken at the site of a proposed new dwelling house situated at Pollok Castle (NMRS NS 55 NW 4). A desk-based study indicated that there were at least four main phases of dwelling on the site: tower house, Renaissance-style country house, baronial-style country house, and mid-20th-century pre-fabricated bungalow. Six trial trenches were excavated to establish the degree of preservation of the remains of Pollok Castle. Trial trenching has shown that the archaeological remains of these dwellings are slight, and that demolition work in 1952 probably removed most of the archaeological deposits associated with the early phases.Excavation established that wall bases were preserved in situ below demolition layers and a layer of bitumen in two trenches. Those walls that survived demolition are, however, at best mere foundations with little or no associated significant stratigraphy. Comparison of the results of trial trenching with existing ground plans suggests that the foundation walls of the tower house, Renaissance-style country house, and baronial-style country house are partially preserved. (GUARD 831). B Balin-Smith and G MacGregor 2000
Report in SMR archive.
Entered WoSAS (CF) 08/03/00