Fordell Castle
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Fordell Castle is a restored 16th-century
tower house A tower house is a particular type of stone structure, built for defensive purposes as well as habitation. Tower houses began to appear in the Middle Ages, especially in mountainous or limited access areas, to command and defend strategic points ...
, located north-west of
Dalgety Bay Dalgety Bay () is a coastal town and parish in Fife, Scotland, on the north shore of the Firth of Forth, 9 miles from Edinburgh city centre. It is part of the Greater Dunfermline Area and is connected to Inverkeithing to the West. The civil pa ...
and east of
Dunfermline Dunfermline (; , ) is a city, parish, and former royal burgh in Fife, Scotland, from the northern shore of the Firth of Forth. Dunfermline was the de facto capital of the Kingdom of Scotland between the 11th and 15th centuries. The earliest ...
, in
Fife Fife ( , ; ; ) is a council areas of Scotland, council area and lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area in Scotland. A peninsula, it is bordered by the Firth of Tay to the north, the North Sea to the east, the Firth of Forth to the s ...
,
Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...
. Parts of the castle date from before 1566, though most dates from 1580 or later. The chapel was rebuilt in 1650. The interior of the castle was substantially renovated in the 1960s, with additional major renovations to the castle interiors and chapel in the early 2000s. The estate is in private ownership and not available for public tour.


Architecture

The castle is a
fortified house A fortified house or fortified mansion is a type of building which developed in Europe during the Middle Ages, generally with significant fortifications added. During the earlier Roman Empire, Roman period it was common for wealthy landowner ...
(fortalice) designed on a Z-plan running east–west, with square towers at the north-west and south-east corners, each containing a circular staircase.MacGibbon, D. and Ross, T. (1887) "'' The Castellated and Domestic Architecture of Scotland from the Twelfth to the Eighteenth Century Vol. 2"'' pp. title page, 237–243.Tranter, Nigel (1986) "''The Fortified House in Scotland – Volume 2, Central Scotland''" p. 38–39. "Externally, Fordell remains pretty much as it was when first built, a simply treated, dignified dwelling, on which corbelled turetts and projections, happily grouped, relieve the plane wall-surfaces below."Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments & Constructions of Scotland (1933) "
Eleventh Report with Inventory of Monuments and Constructions in the Counties of Fife, Kinross, and Clackmannan
'" p. 96–97.
Fordell Castle is the only example of a tower house with two main stairs, each with its own door to the outside.Gifford, John (1992) "''Buildings of Scotland
Fife
'" p. 227.
Inglis, Janet (2011) "''Scotland's Castles: Rescued, Rebuilt and Reoccupied, 1945–2010''" p. 192 (citing Astaire, Leslie et al. (1997) "''Living in Scotland''" p. 110). The entrance is at the foot of the north stair tower and is through a studded door with a metal grate (
yett A yett (from the Old English and Scots language word for "gate") is a gate or grille of latticed wrought iron bars used for defensive purposes in castles and tower houses. Unlike a portcullis, which is raised and lowered vertically using mech ...
) behind. It gives access to a vestibule. Stairs lead down to three vaulted basement chambers. The western chamber included
stocks Stocks are feet and hand restraining devices that were used as a form of corporal punishment and public humiliation. The use of stocks is seen as early as Ancient Greece, where they are described as being in use in Solon's law code. The law de ...
and
branks A scold's bridle, sometimes called a witch's bridle, a gossip's bridle, a brank's bridle, or simply branks, was an instrument of punishment, as a form of public humiliation. It was an iron muzzle in an iron framework that enclosed the head (altho ...
, but the room has since been converted to a wine cellar. A rogue's collar or
jougs The jougs, juggs, or joggs (, from Latin , a yoke) is a metal collar formerly used as an instrument of punishment in Scotland, the Netherlands and other countries. When the soldiers of Oliver Cromwell's army occupied Scotland, they were horrified ...
hangs near the front entrance to the castle. The first floor contains the Great Hall to the west; the great stone fireplace has a cast iron grate and stone surround. A "witch stone" carving above the entrance to the Great Hall is said to depict the daughter of James Henderson, 3rd of Fordell, Margaret Echlin (née Henderson) of Pittadro, who was accused of witchcraft and imprisoned in 1649. Prior to being tried, she was found dead, apparently from poison. There is a smaller withdrawing room to the east of the Great Room. The paneled ceiling has star and half moon mouldings, reflecting motifs in the Henderson coat of arms. Reclaimed timber from
Edinburgh Castle Edinburgh Castle is a historic castle in Edinburgh, Scotland. It stands on Castle Rock (Edinburgh), Castle Rock, which has been occupied by humans since at least the Iron Age. There has been a royal castle on the rock since the reign of Malcol ...
and reclaimed Italian Carrera tiles floors were added in recent renovations. At gallery level is the main private apartment, which has a paneled ceiling with star and half moon moulding. Off this room is a modern bathroom. Also at this level is the Laird's Study, with a stone fireplace and access to the second spiral stair. Above the main stair head is a chamber known as Queen Mary's Room; it is vaulted and paneled, and has a stone fireplace. A small area of flat roof is castellated, and has a flagpole and wrought-iron beacon basket. The lintel of the door in the north tower is inscribed I.H (for James Henderson) 25 MCH (March) A.D. 1580. Higher is built in a broken lintel, also inscribed I.H. with I.M. for Henderson's wife, Jean Murray of Tullibardine, dated 1580. There is a heraldic panel above with the arms of Henderson and Murray dated 1567, inscribed with the Henderson motto ' Sola Vertus Nobilitat'. Considered one of the finest details of the castle is the lead
gargoyle In architecture, and specifically Gothic architecture, a gargoyle () is a carved or formed Grotesque (architecture), grotesque with a spout designed to convey water from a roof and away from the side of a building, thereby preventing it from ...
at the eaves, seen in the north-east view. It "represents a winged four-footed monster, with open mouth and defiant attitude, designed and executed with great spirit."


History

The earliest charter in the Henderson of Fordell papers dates from 1217, when Richard, son of Hugh de Camera, with consent of his wife and son, (also) Richard, grants small parts of the lands of Fordell to the Abbey of Inchcolm. By 1240, William de Hercht held the lands of Fordell.Easson (1938)
pp. 17, 130
Notarized transcript
(1240) NRS GD172/2, Papers of the Henderson Family of Fordell (GD172).
Sir William de Erth was the Lord of Fordell in 1428.Easson (1938)
pp. xxxi, 54, 175.
The Fordell lands were divided into fractional portions following William de Erth's death. John Henrisoun was serving as sergeant of Fordell by 1465. It is not known when the original castle structure was constructed, but the main entrance tower is believed to date from the 1400s. In 1510–1512, James (M. Jacobo) Henrysoun (Henderson), burgess of Edinburgh, and his wife, Elene (née Baty), redeemed from mortgage his inherited fractional portion of the Fordell estate and purchased fractional parts of the lands of Fordell (''Fordalis'') from at least five others. The land was consolidated into a
barony Barony may refer to: * Barony, the peerage, office of, or territory held by a baron * Barony, the title and land held in fealty by a feudal baron * Barony (county division), a type of administrative or geographical division in parts of the British ...
granted by
King James IV James IV (17 March 1473 – 9 September 1513) was King of Scotland from 11 June 1488 until his death at the Battle of Flodden in 1513. He inherited the throne at the age of fifteen on the death of his father, James III, at the Battle of Sauch ...
in 1511. In the mid-16th century,
Mary, Queen of Scots Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was List of Scottish monarchs, Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567. The only surviving legit ...
, is said to have stayed here when Marion Scott, one of her ladies-in-waiting, married George Henderson, the
laird Laird () is a Scottish word for minor lord (or landlord) and is a designation that applies to an owner of a large, long-established Scotland, Scottish estate. In the traditional Scottish order of precedence, a laird ranked below a Baronage of ...
. James Henderson, 3rd of Fordell, started to extend the castle in 1566. The masons Robert Peris, James Orrok, and others had made good progress building a "house of great quantity" when they were stopped on 5 June 1567 by William Spittal of Luquhat, who claimed a title to the lands of Fordell. In 1568 the castle was damaged by fire, then rebuilt. Evidence of the fire can be seen to the left of the main entrance tower. During the late 16th century, the Hendersons began working the estate's rich coal seams that came to form the basis of the estate economy. Sir John Henderson rebuilt St Theriot's Chapel in 1650 for use as a family mausoleum. The castle was damaged by
Oliver Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English statesman, politician and soldier, widely regarded as one of the most important figures in British history. He came to prominence during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, initially ...
's army troops garrisoned at the castle in 1651. The Hendersons became
baronet A baronet ( or ; abbreviated Bart or Bt) or the female equivalent, a baronetess (, , or ; abbreviation Btss), is the holder of a baronetcy, a hereditary title awarded by the British Crown. The title of baronet is mentioned as early as the 14th ...
s in 1694 during the reign of Charles II. In the 19th century, the family built a large, new mansion – Fordell House – nearby. Fordell House was demolished in the 20th century, and there is now little visible evidence of its existence. During the same period, Fordell Castle was rarely occupied; the main hall is said to have been converted into a stable for a time. George Mercer-Henderson modernized the castle and installed the gates. The north front was rebuilt in 1855 (designed by Robert Hay). In 1953, John Hampden Mercer-Henderson, 8th
Earl of Buckinghamshire Earl of Buckinghamshire is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1746 for John Hobart, 1st Baron Hobart. History The Hobart family descends from Henry Hobart, who served as Attorney General and Lord Chief Justice of the ...
, divided the nearly estate, selling the land to the west of Fordel Burn.Simpson (1999) p. 77-78. The walled garden at Pittadro was sold for use as a commercial nursery. Fordell was acquired in 1961 by the controversial lawyer and
Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...
politician Sir
Nicholas Fairbairn Sir Nicholas Hardwick Fairbairn, (24 December 1933 – 19 February 1995) was a Scottish politician and advocate. He was the Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) for Kinross and Western Perthshire from October 1974 to 1983, and then for Pert ...
(1933–1995). The castle was restored and used as a private residence by Sir Nicholas and his wife Lady Sam Fairbairn. Following his death in 1995,
Nicholas Fairbairn Sir Nicholas Hardwick Fairbairn, (24 December 1933 – 19 February 1995) was a Scottish politician and advocate. He was the Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) for Kinross and Western Perthshire from October 1974 to 1983, and then for Pert ...
was laid to rest in the crypt below the Chapel of St Theriot on the castle grounds. About 1995, the property was acquired by Dr Lorraine Inglis and her husband, local veterinarian Bill Inglis. About 1999, the property was purchased by Andrew Berry, a businessman who made extensive, high-quality restorations of the castle, chapel, and grounds. In November 2007, Fordell Castle was sold for £3,850,000 to Stuart Simpson, the 17th Baron of Fordell, making it the fifth-highest-priced home ever sold in Scotland. The Castle remains a private residence, and is a category A
listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Hi ...
.


Estate ownership


Laird Laird () is a Scottish word for minor lord (or landlord) and is a designation that applies to an owner of a large, long-established Scotland, Scottish estate. In the traditional Scottish order of precedence, a laird ranked below a Baronage of ...
s of Fordell

* A. and Richard, son of Hugh de Camera (c. 1220). Richard served as a witness to many royal documents for William I of Scotland ("William the Lion"). * William de Hercht (c. 1240) * Sir William de Erth of Plean and Fordell (–c. 1449). Sir William served as a hostage for
James I James I may refer to: People *James I of Aragon (1208–1276) * James I of Sicily or James II of Aragon (1267–1327) * James I, Count of La Marche (1319–1362), Count of Ponthieu * James I, Count of Urgell (1321–1347) *James I of Cyprus (1334 ...
at
Durham Durham most commonly refers to: *Durham, England, a cathedral city in north east England **County Durham, a ceremonial county which includes Durham *Durham, North Carolina, a city in North Carolina, United States Durham may also refer to: Places ...
in 1423–24 and
Pontefract Pontefract is a historic market town in the City of Wakefield, a metropolitan district in West Yorkshire, England. It lies to the east of Wakefield and south of Castleford. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, it is one of the ...
in 1426–27.


Scottish Feudal Barony In Scotland, "baron" or "baroness" is a rank of the ancient nobility of the Baronage of Scotland, a hereditary Imperial, royal and noble ranks, title of honour, and refers to the holder of a barony, erected into a free barony by Crown Charter, ...
of Fordell

* James Henryson, 1st (c. 1450–1513) and Elene (Helen) Baty (–c. 1534). James Henderson was appointed Advocate to
King James IV James IV (17 March 1473 – 9 September 1513) was King of Scotland from 11 June 1488 until his death at the Battle of Flodden in 1513. He inherited the throne at the age of fifteen on the death of his father, James III, at the Battle of Sauch ...
in 1494 and Clerk of Justiciary in 1507. James died with the King at the
Battle of Flodden The Battle of Flodden, Flodden Field, or occasionally Branxton or Brainston Moor was fought on 9 September 1513 during the War of the League of Cambrai between the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland and resulted in an English victory ...
in 1513; his first son died with him. * George Henderson (Henrisoun), 2nd (1480–1547) and first Katherine Adamson (Adamsoun) (–1539), second Marion (Mariota) Scott (–1566). George Henderson died with his eldest son, William, in 1547 in the
Battle of Pinkie The Battle of Pinkie, also known as the Battle of Pinkie Cleugh (), took place on 10 September 1547 on the banks of the River Esk near Musselburgh, Scotland. The last pitched battle between Scotland and England before the Union of the Crowns, ...
. * James Henderson, 3rd (c. 1544–c. 1610/12) and Jean MurrayDouglas
(1798) p. 519.
* Sir John Henderson, 4th (–1618) and first Agnes Balfour (–c. 1610/15), second Anna Halkat * Sir John Henderson, 5th (1605–1650) and Margaret Menteath (–1653). Sir John was a distinguished soldier, taken prisoner when commanding at the African Coast, and later fought on the side of the
Royalists A royalist supports a particular monarch as head of state for a particular kingdom, or of a particular dynastic claim. In the abstract, this position is royalism. It is distinct from monarchism, which advocates a monarchical system of gover ...
in the
Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
, when Henderson was invested as a
knight A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a knighthood by a head of state (including the pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church, or the country, especially in a military capacity. The concept of a knighthood ...
by King Charles I.


Scottish Baronetcy of Fordell

* Sir John Henderson, 1st Baronet (1626–1683) and Margaret Hamiltoun (1635–1671)Douglas
(1798) p. 520.
* Sir William Henderson, 2nd Baronet (1664–1708) and Jean Hamilton (1667–1731) * Sir John Henderson, 3rd Baronet (1686–c. 1729/30) and Christian Anstruther (–1760) * Sir Robert Henderson, 4th Baronet (–1781) and Isabella (Isabel) Stuart (–1796) *
Sir John Henderson, 5th Baronet Sir John Henderson FRSE FSA (8 January 1752 – 12 December 1817), fifth of the Henderson baronets of Fordell Castle, Fordell, Fife, was a Scotland, Scottish nobleman and politician. He trained as a lawyer and was also a competent antiquary. Anc ...
(1752–1817) and Anne Loudoun Robertson (–1782). Sir John was a politician, serving as Member of Parliament for Fife and for Stirling. * Sir Robert Bruce Henderson, 6th Baronet (1762–1833) (brother of Sir John).


Further owners and Barons of Fordell

* Anne Isabella Henderson ( 1782–1844; daughter of Sir John Henderson), who married Admiral Sir Philip Charles Calderwood Durham (1763–1845). Sir Philip was a
Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
officer whose service in the
American War of Independence The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...
,
French Revolutionary War The French Revolutionary Wars () were a series of sweeping military conflicts resulting from the French Revolution that lasted from 1792 until 1802. They pitted France against Great Britain, Austria, Prussia, Russia, and several other countries ...
, and
Napoleonic Wars {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Napoleonic Wars , partof = the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars , image = Napoleonic Wars (revision).jpg , caption = Left to right, top to bottom:Battl ...
was lengthy, distinguished, and at times controversial. * George Mercer, later George Mercer Henderson (–1852). * Lt-Gen. Douglas Mercer-Henderson (c. 1786–1854) and Susan Arabella Rowley. Lt-Gen. Mercer-Henderson was distinguished officer who served in the
Peninsular War The Peninsular War (1808–1814) was fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Kingdom of Portugal, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French ...
and was in the Scots Fusiliers Guards for 40 years. By royal licence dated 14 January 1853, Douglas Mercer, afterwards Douglas Mercer-Henderson, and his issue were authorised to take the surname of Henderson in addition to and after Mercer, and to bear the arms of Henderson quarterly with those of Mercer. * George William Mercer-Henderson (1823–1881) and Alice PrimroseBurke, Sir Bernard (6th ed. 1879) " Mercer-Henderson of Fordel" "A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry of Great Britain & Ireland, Vol. 1" p. 768. * Edith Isabella Mercer-Henderson (–1902) and Hon. Hew Adam Dalrymple Hamilton Haldane-Duncan-Mercer-Henderson (née Haldane-Duncan) (1820–1900). * Georgiana Wilhelmina Haldane-Duncan-Mercer-Henderson (1867–1937) and Sidney Carr Hobert-Hampden-Mercer-Henderson (née Hobart-Hampden), 7th Earl of Buckinghamshire (1860-1930). * John Hampden Mercer-Henderson, 8th Earl of Buckinghamshire (1906–1963). * James Henderson, author. *
Sir Nicholas Fairbairn Sir Nicholas Hardwick Fairbairn, (24 December 1933 – 19 February 1995) was a Scottish politician and advocate. He was the Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) for Kinross and Western Perthshire from October 1974 to 1983, and then for Pert ...
(1933–1995) and first Elizabeth MacKay, second Suzanne Mary Wheeler ("Lady Sam") (1942–2002) Fairbairn was a controversial lawyer and
Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...
politician. * Dr Lorraine Inglis and William "Bill" Inglis (1918–1999). Mr Inglis was a respected local veterinarian.Obituary: William Inglis (1918–1999)
''The Herald'' (15 March 1995) retrieved 25 Nov 2017.
Dr Inglis was a close friend of Sir Nicholas Fairbairn. * Andrew Berry. * Stuart Simpson and his daughters, Sabrina and Lara. Simpson is an art collector with a background in venture capital.


Grounds

The estate currently encompasses about . The entrance to the Castle passes over a bridge, past a weir that formerly held back the waters of the Fordell Burn, and forming a lake that has now all but silted up.
Rhododendron ''Rhododendron'' (; : ''rhododendra'') is a very large genus of about 1,024 species of woody plants in the Ericaceae, heath family (Ericaceae). They can be either evergreen or deciduous. Most species are native to eastern Asia and the Himalayan ...
s surround the former lake and are a feature of the estate as a whole, lining the avenues through the estate. The castle sits in dense woodland, with very little opportunity to view it from anywhere, other than up close, or from a significant distance to the south-west. An irregularly-shaped block of sandstone in a field to the west of the carriage drive is said to have been erected following the 1317 victory of the Scottish, led by William Sinclair,
Bishop of Dunkeld The Bishop of Dunkeld is the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Dunkeld, one of the largest and more important of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics, whose first recorded bishop is an early 12th-century cleric named Cormac. However, the firs ...
, against an English invasion. The "Witch Knowe" on the right of the carriage drive was used to burn witches, the last in 1649. The "Gallows-tree" blew down by 1887. The Castle, garden, and Chapel sit within a roughly trapezoidal area enclosed by a rubble
barmkin Barmkin, also spelled barmekin or barnekin, is a Scots word which refers to a form of medieval and later defensive enclosure, typically found around smaller castles, tower houses, pele towers, and bastle houses in Scotland and the north of Engla ...
wall, modified on the east side in the 19th century with castellations and a
bastion A bastion is a structure projecting outward from the curtain wall of a fortification, most commonly angular in shape and positioned at the corners of the fort. The fully developed bastion consists of two faces and two flanks, with fire from the ...
. The principal entrance lies on this side and is marked by large wrought-iron entrance gates and gate-piers, with large urn finials. The grounds consist of
Italianate The Italianate style was a distinct 19th-century phase in the history of Classical architecture. Like Palladianism and Neoclassicism, the Italianate style combined its inspiration from the models and architectural vocabulary of 16th-century It ...
gardens, designed by Thomas White, Jr. in 1818. The gardens include an ancient
Cedar of Lebanon ''Cedrus libani'', commonly known as cedar of Lebanon, Lebanon cedar, or Lebanese cedar (), is a species of large evergreen conifer in the genus ''Cedrus'', which belongs to the pine family and is native to the mountains of the Eastern Medite ...
said to have been planted by Sir Robert Henderson in 1721. The
sundial A sundial is a horology, horological device that tells the time of day (referred to as civil time in modern usage) when direct sunlight shines by the position of the Sun, apparent position of the Sun in the sky. In the narrowest sense of the ...
in the garden is an 1860 copy of the 1644 sundial originally at
Pitreavie Castle Pitreavie Castle is a country house, located between Rosyth and Dunfermline in Fife, Scotland. It was built in the early 17th century, and was extensively remodelled in 1885. The house remained in private hands until 1938, when it was acquired by ...
,
Dunfermline Dunfermline (; , ) is a city, parish, and former royal burgh in Fife, Scotland, from the northern shore of the Firth of Forth. Dunfermline was the de facto capital of the Kingdom of Scotland between the 11th and 15th centuries. The earliest ...
. It comprises a square pedestal on four globes supporting a lectern dial. The pedestal features carved escutcheons on two faces with the Henderson family arms. On the west barmkin wall is the bell originally located in the chapel belfry. It is said to have been purchased by Sir John Henderson, 5th Bart. from a local provost for an extravagant price in order to secure that provost's election vote. To the south of the barmkin wall is a natural spring called St Theriot's Well. Folklore has it that the well has the extraordinary property of securing what one wishes, while drinking of its water.


Saint Thereota's Chapel

About to the south-west of the castle building within the garden boundary is the
mortuary chapel A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the burial chamber of a deceased person or people. A mausoleum without the person's remains is called a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of ...
of the Henderson family. It was built on the site of an earlier chapel, dedicated to Saint Therotus, Theoretus or Theriot, an obscure 8th century
cleric Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...
, who is described by one source as "splendidly
apocryphal Apocrypha () are biblical or related writings not forming part of the accepted canon of scripture, some of which might be of doubtful authorship or authenticity. In Christianity, the word ''apocryphal'' (ἀπόκρυφος) was first applied to ...
"; it was first mentioned in 1510 but may have been considerably older. The present building is rectangular,
ashlar Ashlar () is a cut and dressed rock (geology), stone, worked using a chisel to achieve a specific form, typically rectangular in shape. The term can also refer to a structure built from such stones. Ashlar is the finest stone masonry unit, a ...
-built, with a
slate Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous, metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade, regional metamorphism. It is the finest-grained foliated metamorphic ro ...
roof and a
belfry The belfry /ˈbɛlfri/ is a structure enclosing bells for ringing as part of a building, usually as part of a bell tower or steeple. It can also refer to the entire tower or building, particularly in continental Europe for such a tower attached ...
at the western end. It has a
Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...
doorway with the Henderson motto and the date 1650. "The elevations are balanced in the
Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...
manner, but the windows are late
Gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, a Germanic people **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Gothic alphabet, an alphabet used to write the Gothic language ** Gothic ( ...
in fashion with traceried heads." The windows are of German and Flemish painted glass date from the 16th century onwards. During some time periods, the chapel was used for public worship. The chapel was renovated in the 1650s and again the early 2000s; Berry family initials are carved to the left of the chapel entrance. Saint Thereota's Chapel was made a Category A
Listed Building In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Hi ...
in 1972.


Other features on the estate

Close to the Castle, the former Fordell Day Level used to surface. This was a mine "river", connecting the foot of numerous former coal mines, from as far afield as
Cowdenbeath Cowdenbeath () is a town and burgh in west Fife, Scotland. It is north-east of Dunfermline and north of the capital, Edinburgh. The town grew up around the extensive coalfields of the area and became a police burgh in 1890. According to a 20 ...
, and draining the pits. It was one of Scotland's worst pollution issues, issuing
iron Iron is a chemical element; it has symbol Fe () and atomic number 26. It is a metal that belongs to the first transition series and group 8 of the periodic table. It is, by mass, the most common element on Earth, forming much of Earth's o ...
-polluted water into the nearby watercourse, but this has been largely improved by the recently completed open-cast mining operations to the North, and the subsequent reparations and reed-bed water treatment facilities. The remains of one of Scotland's oldest railways runs to the east of the Castle. The Fordell railway route took coal from the Fife coalfields to the ships in St David's Bay, now part of the Dalgety Bay settlement. The original wooden rails are gone, although the embankments, cuttings, and stone bridges remain, and carriages and equipment can be viewed in the
Museum of Scotland A museum is an institution dedicated to displaying or preserving culturally or scientifically significant objects. Many museums have exhibitions of these objects on public display, and some have private collections that are used by researchers ...
, Edinburgh. The former entrance avenue and gates to the east lead to Vantage Farm, a small steading featuring Scotland's only
octagon In geometry, an octagon () is an eight-sided polygon or 8-gon. A '' regular octagon'' has Schläfli symbol and can also be constructed as a quasiregular truncated square, t, which alternates two types of edges. A truncated octagon, t is a ...
al
doocot A dovecote or dovecot , doocot ( Scots) or columbarium is a structure intended to house pigeons or doves. Dovecotes may be free-standing structures in a variety of shapes, or built into the end of a house or barn. They generally contain pig ...
and ornate farm buildings including clock tower, Grieve's cottage, dairy, and three storey granary. The steading is now exclusively residential. There is a lodge to the west, known as North Lodge on the Inverkeithing/Crossgates Road, and South Lodge on the Aberdour Road, marking the primary entrances to the former estate.


References


External links

{{coord, 56.05371, -3.37129, format=dms, type:landmark_region:GB, display=title Castles in Fife Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes Category A listed buildings in Fife Listed castles in Scotland Lowland castles Tower houses in Scotland