Bridekirk (The Gatehouse Record of the Aglionby Platt)

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Brydekirk Tower

In the civil parish of Annan.
In the historic county of Dumfriesshire, Scotland.
Modern Authority of Dumfries And Galloway, Scotland.
1974 county of Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.

OS Map Grid Reference: NY18697111
Latitude 55.02789° Longitude -3.27343°

This is certain as the location of Bridekirk shown on the Aglionby Platt.

There are masonry ruins/remnants remains.

The likely form(s) of this building in 1590 are;

Tower House (gentry).

Reproduced by permission of the National Library of Scotland

Description

(NY 186 711) St Bryde's Tower (NR) (Remains of) (OS 6" map (1957))
A fragment, 15ft. long, 3 ft. broad and 25 ft. high, of the N wall of the tower mentioned in 1590 survives, surrounded by out buildings on Brydekirk Mains Farm. (RCAHMS 1920)
The remains of the tower at NY 1869 7111 are as described by RCAHMS. (Visited by OS (RD) 23 October 1967)
No change to previous field report. (Visited by OS (IA) 22 February 1973)
At the N end of the E range of Brydekirk Mains steading (NY17SE 70), there is what is probably the gable wall of a 17th-century laird's house (previously interpreted as the remains of Brydekirk Tower). The extant portion has a slight external batter and rises to what is probably a crow-stepped gable. At the apex there is a corbel, probably for a chimney. The Internal face of the wall has been remodelled, but at first floor level, on the W, there is a semi-circular recess, probably for a newel-stair. Latterly, the recess has been re-used as the embrasure for a fireplace, the E jamb of which is in situ and wrought with a chamfered arris. Viewed from the exterior, a flue is apparent rising to the apex of the gable. A doorway in the adjoining range at first floor level has a jamb which is also wrought with a chamfered arris. (Visited by RCAHMS (IMS), 24 August 1993)
Listed as tower. (RCAHMS 1997) (Canmore)

Sources of information, references and further reading

Canmore (The online National Monument Record for Scotland) Number 66723.
County Historic Environment Record (or Sites and Monuments Record) number(s) MDG9695.

Books
- Coventry, M., 2008, Castles of the Clans: the strongholds and seats of 750 Scottish families and clans (Musselburgh) p. 88
  Maxwell-Irving, A.M.T., 2000, The Border towers of Scotland: their history and architecture: the West March p. 91-2
  RCAHMS, 1920, The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments and Constructions of Scotland. Seventh report with inventory of monuments and constructions in the county of Dumfries (Edinburgh) p. 2 no. 2 online copy
Periodical Articles
- Ellis, H., 1829, 'Copy of a manuscript tract addressed to Lord Burghley, illustrative of the Border topography of Scotland, AD 1590, with a platt or map of the Borders taken in the same year' Archaeologia Vol. 22 p. 161-71 online copy
Maps (Early maps)
- 1590, A Platt of the opposete Borders of Scotland to ye west marches of England (The Aglionby Platt) British Library online Gallery and Old Cumbria Gazetteer

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The bibliography owes much to various bibliographies produced by John Kenyon for the Council for British Archaeology, the Castle Studies Group and others.

Suggestions for finding online and/or hard copies of bibliographical sources can be seen at this link.
Minor archaeological investigations, such as watching brief reports, and some other 'grey' literature is most likely to be held by H.E.R.s but is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded here, or elsewhere, but some suggestions can be found here.

The possible site or monument is represented on maps as a point location. This is a guide only. It should be noted that OS grid references defines an area, not a point location. In practice this means the actual center of the site or monument may often, but not always, be to the North East of the point shown. Locations derived from OS grid references and from latitude longitiude may differ by a small distance.
Further information on mapping and location can be seen at this link.

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The Gatehouse website record of

Bridekirk (Brydekirk Mains, St Bryde's Tower)

a location shown on a 1590 map of the West Marches of Scotland (The Aglionby Platt)