The castle was begun in 1590 for Thomas Hay, the son of one of the Commendators of Glenluce Abbey, and his wife Jonet MakDouel.[2] It was completed by 1599.[3]
The building was extended in the 18th century,[2] and was used by the Hay family until Sir John Dalrymple-Hay sold the Park estate in 1875;[1] it was then left uninhabited.
The Cunningham family acquired Castle of Park in 1830. They later abandoned Castle of Park in favour of Dunragit House, using Castle of Park to house farm laborers.
It is reported[who?] that Castle of Park is haunted by the ghost of a Monk who was murdered by walling him up in one of the rooms. A green lady who became pregnant whilst working at the castle has also been seen through the years.[citation needed]
A program of restoration was carried out in the 1950s and 1960s by the Ministry of Public Buildings and Works, including removal of the 18th-century wings.[2] In the 1980s, additional work was done by the Landmark Trust.[3] The building is now maintained using income from its use as holiday accommodation.[4]
At various times the building has also been known as "Park Hay", "The Park O' Luce", "Park Castle", "Park House" and "House of Park".[2][5] The antiquarian Richard Pococke visited in 1760, and described, "The Park, Sir Thomas Hay's, a castle most beautifully situated on a ridge which is at the foot of hill, having towards the river a steep hanging ground covered with wood, and a more gentle descent southwards to the meadows on the bay adorned with trees".[6]
Descriptionedit
The building is divided into four floors. The lowest floor consists of three barrel vaulted rooms used as kitchens and store-rooms; above this is the main hall measuring some 22 feet (6.7 m) by 17 feet (5.2 m).[7] The third and fourth floors are divided into smaller rooms. The southward projection contains a large spiral staircase, from which a further spiral stair leads to the roof and to a small room above the main stair.[3]
Although imposing, the building is not defensible.[3] Unlike earlier examples such as Drum Castle,[8] the walls are hollowed out with additional staircases and, to quote the 1898 description, "commodious closets".[7]
Referencesedit
The doorway inscription, which reads: "Blissit be the name of the Lord this werk was begun the first day of March 1590 be Thomas Hay of Park and Jonet MakDouel his spous"
^. Archived from the original on 2 September 2011. Retrieved 29 September 2010.
^Agnew., Andrew (1864). The Agnews of Lochnaw. A history of the hereditary sheriffs of Galloway, with contemporary anecdotes, traditions, and genealogical notices of old families of the sheriffdom, 1330 to 1747. Adam and Charles Black. p. 216.
^Daniel Kemp, Tours in Scotland by Richard Pococke (SHS: Edinburgh, 1887), p. 13.
^ abReproduced in "Park O' Luce, Wigtonshire". Examples of Scottish architecture from the 12th to the 17th century; a series of reproductions from the National art survey drawings. Vol. 1. G. Waterston & Sons. 1921.
^Simpson, W D (1959). Scottish Castles - An introduction to the Castles of Scotland. Edinburgh: Her Majesty's Stationery Office.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Castle of Park.
Castle of Park at the Landmark Trust
April 05, 2024
castle, park, tower, house, near, aberchirder, aberdeenshire, 16th, century, plan, tower, house, near, glenluce, historic, county, wigtownshire, dumfries, galloway, scotland, category, listed, building, location, within, dumfries, gallowaygeneral, informationt. For the tower house near Aberchirder see Castle of Park Aberdeenshire The Castle of Park is a 16th century L plan tower house near Glenluce in the historic county of Wigtownshire in Dumfries and Galloway Scotland It is a category A listed building 1 Castle of ParkLocation within Dumfries and GallowayGeneral informationTypeTower houseTown or cityGlenluceCountryScotlandCoordinates54 52 34 N 4 49 32 W 54 8760 N 4 8255 W 54 8760 4 8255Construction started1590CompletedBefore 1599 Contents 1 History 2 Description 3 References 4 External linksHistory editThe castle was begun in 1590 for Thomas Hay the son of one of the Commendators of Glenluce Abbey and his wife Jonet MakDouel 2 It was completed by 1599 3 The building was extended in the 18th century 2 and was used by the Hay family until Sir John Dalrymple Hay sold the Park estate in 1875 1 it was then left uninhabited The Cunningham family acquired Castle of Park in 1830 They later abandoned Castle of Park in favour of Dunragit House using Castle of Park to house farm laborers It is reported who that Castle of Park is haunted by the ghost of a Monk who was murdered by walling him up in one of the rooms A green lady who became pregnant whilst working at the castle has also been seen through the years citation needed A program of restoration was carried out in the 1950s and 1960s by the Ministry of Public Buildings and Works including removal of the 18th century wings 2 In the 1980s additional work was done by the Landmark Trust 3 The building is now maintained using income from its use as holiday accommodation 4 At various times the building has also been known as Park Hay The Park O Luce Park Castle Park House and House of Park 2 5 The antiquarian Richard Pococke visited in 1760 and described The Park Sir Thomas Hay s a castle most beautifully situated on a ridge which is at the foot of hill having towards the river a steep hanging ground covered with wood and a more gentle descent southwards to the meadows on the bay adorned with trees 6 Description editThe building is divided into four floors The lowest floor consists of three barrel vaulted rooms used as kitchens and store rooms above this is the main hall measuring some 22 feet 6 7 m by 17 feet 5 2 m 7 The third and fourth floors are divided into smaller rooms The southward projection contains a large spiral staircase from which a further spiral stair leads to the roof and to a small room above the main stair 3 Although imposing the building is not defensible 3 Unlike earlier examples such as Drum Castle 8 the walls are hollowed out with additional staircases and to quote the 1898 description commodious closets 7 References edit nbsp The doorway inscription which reads Blissit be the name of the Lord this werk was begun the first day of March 1590 be Thomas Hay of Park and Jonet MakDouel his spous a b Historic Environment Scotland Castle of Park LB16761 Retrieved 15 April 2019 a b c d Glenluce Castle of Park CANMORE Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland Retrieved 7 November 2018 a b c d Gifford John 1996 Dumfries and Galloway The Buildings of Scotland Penguin Books pp 176 177 ISBN 0 14 071067 1 About the Landmark Trust Archived from the original on 2 September 2011 Retrieved 29 September 2010 Agnew Andrew 1864 The Agnews of Lochnaw A history of the hereditary sheriffs of Galloway with contemporary anecdotes traditions and genealogical notices of old families of the sheriffdom 1330 to 1747 Adam and Charles Black p 216 Daniel Kemp Tours in Scotland by Richard Pococke SHS Edinburgh 1887 p 13 a b Reproduced in Park O Luce Wigtonshire Examples of Scottish architecture from the 12th to the 17th century a series of reproductions from the National art survey drawings Vol 1 G Waterston amp Sons 1921 Simpson W D 1959 Scottish Castles An introduction to the Castles of Scotland Edinburgh Her Majesty s Stationery Office External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Castle of Park Castle of Park at the Landmark Trust Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Castle of Park amp oldid 1185169615, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
