The Lands of Roughwood
| Roughwood | |
|---|---|
| Beith, North Ayrshire, Scotland UK grid reference NSNS3455452306 |
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Roughwood Tower
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 Roughwood
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| Coordinates | 55°44′07″N 4°38′11″W / 55.735414°N 4.636377°W |
| Type | Tower |
| Site information | |
| Owner | Private |
| Open to the public |
No |
| Condition | Removed, the farm buildings remain. |
| Site history | |
| Built | 15th century |
| In use | Until 17th century |
| Materials | Stone |
Roughwood once Ruchwood is a farm, originally a estate, possessing at one time a small tower castle. Roughwood is situated near to the town of Beith in North Ayrshire, Scotland; the lands lay within the old Lordship of Giffen.
The name 'Ruch' in Scot's relates to ground that is "difficult to traverse; broken, uneven; covered with tussocky vegetation or the like". The lands consisted of 160 acres in Beith parish and 85 in Dalry parish. No improvements had been made on these lands, mainly composed of moss and clay, since 1770 and they were in a very poor state, with no roads, farm-houses ruinous, and few enclosures when acquired by the Patricks.
The Baron Courts were held at Roughwood by the Hammills or their baillies as it is recorded that a court was held at Roughwood on 25 June 1724 with William Ralston of that Ilk acting as bailie for Hugh Hammill. In August 1725 Henry Adam of Morshill was bailie, however in May 1740 Robert Shedden was bailie to John Shedden, Hugh Hammill having passed on the lands, rights and privileges permanently to the Sheddens and their heirs. In 1836 it is recorded that the Earl of Eglinton had discontinued the appointment of a Baron Bailie and a Baron Officer and the Barony Court had therefore ceased to function.
The castle was a simple fortified keep. These defensive towers usually had an entrance on the ground floor, giving access to a wheel-stair to the first floor hall and to cellars or stores on the ground floor. The hall on the first floor usually had a large fireplace and window seats. The illustration is nearly or actually identical to that used for other tower castles, such as Busbie Castle.
The old manor house or fortified tower of Ruchwood (sic) had a coat of arms of the Hammill family on the front bearing quarterly "a star (or mullet) of five points; a crescent; a shakefork, the same as the Cuninghame; and a fleur-de-lis." The colours were not apparent at that time. This shield had a crest above, again a fleur-de-lis. Half of the old tower was removed to make room for modern improvements; however, in the half that remained an old doorway was retained, surrounded by a cut moulding. This coat of arms may be the same one that was present in the interior in the upper storey over a small fireplace in the left of the gable. These armorial bearings are reported as being very worn with the date '14' in the left-hand lower corner and 1st and 3rd quarters obliterated.
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Wikipedia