Auchinbetrig

Gatehouse Classification - Not available

Has been described as a Possible Peel-house

There are no visible remains

NameAuchinbetrig
Alternative Namesauchinbedrig; Solwaybank; Achinbeddrigg; Achmabrig
Medieval County
Historic CountryDumfriesshire
Modern AuthorityDumfries And Galloway
1974 AuthorityDumfries and Galloway
Civil ParishHalf Morton

'Auchinbetrig'. The 'house of reasonable strength' which resisted assault by English troops in 1596 was probably situated near Solwaybank farmhouse (NY37NW 11.00), where the present proprietor pays legal dues for 'The lands of Auchenbedrig'. The name is locally applied to a field about 400 m S of the farmhouse (at NY c. 307 769). (RCAHMS 1981, visited October 1980. Border Papers 1896; E Johnson-Ferguson 1935)
Listed as tower. (RCAHMS 1997) (Canmore)

2000 men led by the Musgraves and Captain Carvell by Lord Scrope's special warrant, assaulted Auchinbetrig in the Debateable land, a hous of ressonable strenthe, but being valiantly defended, they drew off, and farraged the bounds, driving away 200 nolt (Border Papers)

Gatehouse Comments

There is something amiss in the Border Paper report. 2000 men is a very large force for a border raid (50 seems to be a more usual size for such a band). A chamber over byre type bastle might resist a raid by a small band (I suspect 2000 is an error for 200 men not 2000) but would not be able to protect livestock out in the fields ('nolt' is a general term for cattle including oxen).
This must be Achinbeddrigg, marked on Pont's map, and Achmabrig marked on the Roy Military Survey Map as two square enclosures more identifiably at this given map reference. The two enclosures may be marked as surrounded with trees and some of these tree lines can still be seen on the modern air photo (although they seem to have extended to the south in recent times).

- Philip Davis

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law

Not Listed

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceNY307769
Latitude55.08214
Longitude-3.08631
Eastings330700
Northings576900
Length
Width
Dimensions Comment
Vault
Vault Comment
Orientation
Orientation Comment
Wall Thickness 1
Wall Thickness 2
MapBlaeu, J., 1654, 'Annandiae praefectura, Vulgo, The Stewartrie of Annandail' in Theatrum Orbis Terrerum, sive Atlas Novus, Vol.5; Scotice et Hibernia(Amsterdam) Map online copy
Roy Military Survey of Scotland 1747-55 British Library Maps C.9.b 6/1c online copy
Holder
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

No photos available. If you can provide pictures please contact Castlefacts

Books

  • Coventry, M., 2001, The castles of Scotland(Musselburgh)
  • RCAHMS, 1997, Eastern Dumfriesshire: an archaeological landscape(Edinburgh) p. 116
  • RCAHMS, 1981, The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. The archaeological sites and monuments of Ewesdale and Lower Eskdale, Annandale and Eskdale District, Dumfries and Galloway Region(RCAHMS Archaeological sites and monuments of Scotland 13)
  • Johnson-Ferguson, E., 1935, The place-names of Dumfriesshire(Dumfries)

Primary Sources

  • Bain, J., 1896, Calendar of Letters and Papers relating to the Borders of England and Scotland(Edinburgh: HMSO) Vol. 2 1595-1603 p. 181 no. 354 online copy