Clan Rising
Cessford Castle today

Scotland · Ruin

Cessford Castle

Cessford Castle is a mid-15th-century L-plan fortalice near the village of Cessford in the Scottish Borders, historically the principal stronghold of the Kerr family. Built around 1450 and abandoned in 1650, the castle once comprised a main keep with a similar-sized wing, a gatehouse at the angle, and surrounding barmekin and earthworks.

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Photograph via Wikimedia Commons

Its prime

1523

Today

Ruin

As it stood in 1523

What Cessford Castle looked like in its prime.

A compact L-plan fortress of reddish-brown sandstone standing on a low grassy mound in rolling border country. The composition is a main rectangular keep paired with a wing of almost equal size forming an L, walls up to 13 feet thick pierced by small rectangular windows and narrow arrow-slits, and a single-storey defensive gatehouse closing the inner angle; at prime it rose to as many as six storeys and was surrounded by a barmekin and earthen defensive ramparts.

Its story

The story of Cessford Castle.

Cessford Castle was built around 1450 by Andrew Ker, ancestor of Robert Ker, 1st Earl of Roxburghe, and of the Dukes of Roxburghe, the Duke still takes subsidiary titles from the place, as Baron Ker of Cessford and Marquess of Bowmont and Cessford. The large L-plan castle, midway between Jedburgh and Kelso, is the caput of the Barony of Cessford and was the principal stronghold of the Kerr family, notorious Border Reivers, many of whom served as Wardens of the Middle March.

The castle proved its strength in 1523, when the Earl of Surrey besieged it and remarked that it 'might never have been taken had the assailed been able to go on defending'. The borderland around it burned more than once, after Berwick-upon-Tweed fell to Richard, Duke of Gloucester in July 1482, Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland burnt a number of places in the area. Cessford was abandoned in 1650 and stands today as a great ruin.

Step inside

7 places to explore in 1523.

The record describes 7 distinct spots at Cessford Castle, including 2 interiors: inner courtyard looking toward the gatehouse, barrel-vaulted lower chamber. Create your own photoreal reconstruction and explore every one, more scenes means more rooms, more angles, and more of the place to stand in.

Approach from the grassy moundSouth face of the main keepExterior of the wingDefensive gatehouse at the angleInner courtyard looking toward the gatehouseBarrel-vaulted lower chamberBarmekin and defensive earthworks

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Whose castle

Clans who held Cessford Castle.

The families that held Cessford Castle for a decade or more across its history, follow a name to its clan.

  • Kerr

    Built c. 1450 by Andrew Ker; the principal stronghold of the Kerrs until its abandonment in 1650.

From the archive

Cessford Castle on paper: the measured plan and period views.

The survey plan and photographs below are the ground truth this page's reconstructions are checked against, drawn and photographed while the castle was still a working garrison. Every image is public-domain or openly licensed, with its source named.

PLAN OF FIRST FLOOR, Cessford Castle

PLAN OF FIRST FLOOR

1889 · MacGibbon & Ross, vol. 3 (1889)

Public domain

SECTION, Cessford Castle

SECTION

1889 · MacGibbon & Ross, vol. 3 (1889)

Public domain

JAMB OF HALL FIREPLACE, Cessford Castle

JAMB OF HALL FIREPLACE

1889 · MacGibbon & Ross, vol. 3 (1889)

Public domain

Nearby

Landmarks within reach of Cessford Castle.

Cragside, ScotlandMuseumCragside40 km away

Questions about Cessford Castle

What is the history of Cessford Castle?

Cessford Castle was built around 1450 by Andrew Ker as the principal stronghold of the Kerr family and the caput of the Barony of Cessford. It was besieged by the Earl of Surrey in 1523, when its defences resisted an English assault. The castle was abandoned in 1650 and now stands as a ruin.

What is inside Cessford Castle?

Inside Cessford Castle, the documented spaces include an inner courtyard looking towards the gatehouse and a barrel-vaulted lower chamber. The castle had up to six storeys, including two barrel-vaulted levels. Its main keep and wing formed an L-plan, with the defensive gatehouse enclosing the angle.

Why was Cessford Castle built, and what was it used for?

Cessford Castle was built as a fortified stronghold and served as the principal stronghold of the Kerr family. Its L-plan keep, wing, gatehouse, barmekin and earthworks formed a formidable place of defence in the Borders. It was also the caput of the Barony of Cessford, rather than a later palace, prison or museum.

Where is Cessford Castle?

Cessford Castle is in the Scottish Borders, near the village of Cessford, midway between Jedburgh and Kelso. It stands in the historic county of Roxburghshire, now a division of the Scottish Borders. The castle is near a low grassy mound in rolling border country.

When was Cessford Castle built?

Cessford Castle was built around 1450, placing its construction in the 15th century. Andrew Ker built the castle as a large L-plan fortalice, although it is possible that it incorporates parts of an earlier structure. The site's first-raised year is not recorded.

Was Cessford Castle ever attacked or besieged?

Cessford Castle was besieged in 1523 by the Earl of Surrey. English troops had to use an escalade to gain access to the castle courtyard, and Surrey remarked that it might never have been taken if the defenders had continued defending. The supplied material does not state plainly whether the castle fell during this siege.

Which family or clan held Cessford Castle?

The Kerr family held Cessford Castle. Andrew Ker built it around 1450, and it remained the principal stronghold of the Kerrs until its abandonment in 1650. Many Kerrs were Border Reivers, and many served as Wardens of the Middle March.

What did Cessford Castle look like in its prime?

In its prime, Cessford Castle was a compact L-plan fortress of reddish-brown sandstone on a low grassy mound. A main rectangular keep and an almost equally sized wing formed the L, with walls up to 13 feet thick, small rectangular windows and narrow arrow-slits. A single-storey gatehouse closed the angle, while a barmekin and earthworks surrounded it.

Is Cessford Castle still standing, or is it a ruin?

Cessford Castle is a ruin today. It was abandoned in 1650, but its large L-plan structure survives with the main keep, wing, defensive gatehouse, barmekin and earthworks described in the site record. The castle originally rose to as many as six storeys and had walls up to 13 feet thick.

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