ye Cast of Hoddamsteanes (Hoddam Castle)

Description

Hoddom or Hoddam Castle: When described in 1965, this tower was derelict, and the modern mansion (of the same name) attached was being demolished. It occupies a strong site, defended by a moat, part of which remained to the S. Built in the 16th century, probably incorporating 15th century work, the building is L-shaped, the main block rising four storeys to the parapet, with a garret above, while the stair wing continues for another two storeys. (See also NY17SE 3 and NY17SE 12 ); RCAHMS 1920, visited 1915; N Tranter 1965)
Hoddom Castle is as described. The portion of moat to the SE is 5.0m deep. Visited by OS (RD) 23 October 1967
No change to previous field report. Visited by OS (IA) 22 February 1973.
Hoddam belonged to the Herries family of knights who served the Bruces, and then passed to the Carruthers. The massive L-plan tower rising above the River Annan was built by John Maxwell, Lord Herries, soon after he obtained possession in the mid-16th century. It was regarded as a place of some strength but in 1568 an indifferent garrison surrendered the castle to the Regent Moray after a one day siege. He handed it over to Douglas of Drumlanrig to serve as headquarters for the office of Warden of the Scottish West March, but in 1569 Hoddom was recaptured by forces loyal to Queen Mary. In 1570 the English commander Lord Scroop captured and blew up the tower. It was restored, and further remodelling was carried out after Sir Richard Murray obtained Hoddam from the 6th Lord Herries. It passed to the Earl of Southesk in 1653 and to the Sharp family in 1690, and was later held by the Brooks.
Hoddom Castle now lies derelict on one side of a caravan park. Demolition of a lower later wing has left a scar on the south end wall of the main block, which measures 15.5m by 11m and has four storeys and an attic surrounded by a wall-walk 15.3m above ground. The ornamental coursing carrying the parapet and round bartizans continues round a wing 8.7m wide and 22m high. The wing has two full stories above the coursing and ends in a flat roof with an open bartizan at the SE corner, conical roofed bartizans on the W corners and a higher staircase turret on the NE. Below the foot of the stair is a prison. The entrance doorway has a segmental arch and a bold quirked edge roll moulding with a fillet. the label above the doorway is a big cable with mutilated knotted stops.
There is a much-altered 17th-century courtyard wall on the S and E. Much of the dry moat has now been filled in. (M Salter 1993)
On the second floor, beside a remodelled fireplace in the SSE wall, and not noted in the published Inventory description, there is an aumbry which still retains its original 16th-century oak frame, door and iron fittings. The frame of the door (which comprises four members and a muntin) is morticed, and the tenons are pinned in place with dowels; the two panels are joined by a tongue-and-groove and wrought on the arris with a mitred chamfer. The wrought iron tee hinges and the leaded clasps retaining the butted frame have butterfly terminals while the arms of the two hinges bear mid-length rosette expansions. Visited by RCAHMS (IMS), 15 October 1993.
Listed as tower. (RCAHMS 1997) (Canmore)

Part of a large asymmetrical mansion, nucleus a fine L-plan 16th century tower house, main (S) courtyard W walls, gateway and turrets largely 17th century; circa 1826 additions by William Burn to S and to W of tower largely demolished circa 1970; extensive neo-Jacobean 1, 2 and 3-storey additions to N and to W built 1878-1891 (dated throughout), some, at least, by Wardrop and Anderson circa 1886; additions mainly comprising open stable court, service ranges to N beyond: now run as a holiday centre for caravan park; tower is abandoned. TOWER: various alterations particularly at upper level and to interior; fantastic skyline probably 18th century. 4 storeys with attic and corbelled parapets, jamb corbelled 2 storeys higher with conical roofed bartizans and 19th century cap-house; parapet encloses slated and crow-stepped-gabled main roof. Massively thick red ashlar walls, openings mostly roll-moulded: deep raggles and door slappings where later ranges abutted. Rope-moulded doorway in re-entrant angle; wide horizontal gunports at ground; some upper floor windows enlarged. (Historic Scotland)
Hoddom has passed through the hands of the Earl of Annandale (17th century), the Earl of Southesk (1653), John Sharpe, Dumfries burgess (1690), Charles Kirkpatrick Sharpe (1769), Lt General Matthew Sharpe (early 19th century), and Edward Brook, Huddersfield mill owner (1877). (Buildings at Risk Register)

The resident householder c. 1590.

Sir Richard Murray