Billie Castle

Billie Castle is a ruined 15th century castle, 3 mi north west of Chirnside, Scottish Borders, Scotland, north of Billiemains.

History
The property was owned by the Dunbars. Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus sheltered here in 1528 whilst his castle of Tantallon was being unsuccessfully besieged by James V of Scotland, the Angus family having acquired it in 1435. The Renton family were granted the castle in 1540, after it had been annexed by the Crown, but it was slighted by the forces of the Earl of Hertford in May 1544 after they had burnt Edinburgh. More substantial remains were visible up to the 19th century.

Structure
The castle had a massive keep with a courtyard. Only the base of the keep and earthworks remain. Billie Castle appears to have comprised a strong quadrangular keep, about 50 ft by 40 ft, with walls over 7 ft thick. It is though that the building had three storeys, with the upper ones being reached by a narrow stone stair in the north west angle. There were two rounded towers at the southernmost angles of the keep. Large, squared, red sandstone blocks were used in the construction. An outer wall surrounded the keep. It stood on a mound, well protected on three sides by a deep morass. East of the castle there are the remains of a kiln, and two enclosures each of which contain traces of rectangular constructions.


 * Castles in Great Britain and Ireland
 * List of castles in Scotland