Architectural structure in Scottish Borders, Scotland, UK
Billie Castle is a ruined 15th-century quadrangular castle, 3 miles (4.8 km) north west of Chirnside, Scottish Borders, Scotland, north of Billiemains.[1] It was designated as a scheduled monument in 1988.[2]
More substantial remains were visible up to the 19th century.[3]
Structure
Billie Castle appears to have been a strong quadrangular keep, about 50 feet (15 m) by 40 feet (12 m), with walls over 7 feet (2.1 m) thick. An outer wall surrounded the keep. It occupied a platform about 41 by 31 metres (135 by 102 ft) that was protected by a single ditch 8 metres (26 ft) wide and 1.5 metres (4 ft 11 in) deep on three sides. On the south side, there were double ditches that may have been flooded by means of earthen dams at both ends of a natural gully just south of the enclosure. It is thought 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. Within the quadrangle are remnants of a tower and the gatehouse. Large, squared, red sandstone blocks were used in the construction. The castle is now a turf-covered mound 2.5 metres (8 ft 2 in) high that covers an area of 16 square metres (170 sq ft).[2][3]
East of the castle there are the remains of a kiln, and two enclosures each of which contain traces of rectangular foundations.[2][3]