Description

15th century 4-storey keep, enlarged into mansion with L-plan addition to S in 16th century; substantially restored, Ian S Parsons, 1982-5; D H Moran, builder. Various windows re-opened and others inserted in course of restoration, in sympathetic manner. Sited on high ground (Falside Hill). Freestone rubble, partly coursed in earlier work, with oyster shell pinning; ashlar dresing repairs and brick rebuilding with white harling 1982-5.

15TH CENTURY KEEP: rectangular-plan, circa 30 x 39 feet. 4th storey vaulted. Crenellated parapet walk to wallhead and crowstepped, gabled cap-house to NE angle. Round arched doorway in N elevation. Minimum of openings at ground, irregularly placed arrow slit windows and fewer larger windows in upper floors, some altered in 17th century, bearing backset margins and chamfered arrises.

INTERIOR: mural stair leading to 1st floor to left of door, turnpike above 1st floor; pit dungeon; flagstones; stone corbels retained.

16TH CENTURY ADDITION: to S elevation of keep. Relieving arches to windows; quirk-edged roll mouldings. Door in W elevation (surround renewed, 1982) with square panel above. Chamfered angle to SW, corbelled to square above. Round tower set in re-entrant angle, mitred above ground floor on rectangular base. S elevation symmetrical; crowstepped, gabled centre bay with window to each of 3 upper floors

and gablehead stack; borbelled angle turrets with candle-snuffer roofs. Sizeable set-off wallhead stack to E elevation, flanked by windows breaking eaves in modern gabled dormerheads, 1 dated 1982, 1 bearing initials TMC CHH. 2 further such gabled dormerheads to W elevations.

INTERIOR: not seen (1989).

Multi-pane glazing patterns. Grey slates.

OUTBUILDING: rectangular plan, single storey, gabled outbuilding, sited to N of castle; freestone rubble; much altered, with red and grey corrugated sheet metal roof.

RETAINING WALL: largely renewed, 1982. Freestone rubble with rubble coping, adjoined to castle.

Statement of Interest

Built by the Fawside family and known over the centuries as Faswside, Fallside and Fa'side. The Battle of Pinkie was fought on the fields below. A 17th century house formerly stood closeby to SE. Restored for T M Craig, from 1982.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Fa'side Castle at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q5427531

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Worcestershire Revised Edition (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Warwickshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)