Comlongon Castle, Tower house in Ruthwell, Scotland
Comlongon Castle is a tower house built from red sandstone located in Ruthwell, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. The structure measures about 15 by 13 meters and rises roughly 18 meters high with thick stone walls, featuring an original iron lattice gate at the entrance and a vaulted cellar below that contains a well and two spiral staircases.
The Murray family received Comlongon in the early 14th century when Thomas Randolph, a powerful Scottish nobleman, granted the lands to his nephew William Murray of Cockpool. This grant established the Murray family's long connection to the site that would span many generations.
The main hall on the first floor displays a large fireplace carved with the Royal Arms of Scotland and heraldic symbols on its stone corbels. These decorations show the importance and standing of the family who called this place home.
The castle entrance features an original iron lattice gate that leads into the vaulted lower level where you'll find a working well. Two spiral staircases allow you to move between the different floors and reach the various chambers above.
The castle rests on a specially engineered stone foundation designed to support its weight on ground that was once marshy near Lochar Moss. This foundation demonstrates how the builders overcame challenging soil conditions in the area.
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