Castledykes Park (also known as Castledikis)

The discovery of an axe dated to the Bronze Age, now in Dumfries Museum, indicates there has been human activity on the site for at least 3000 years. An early (11th century?) Norman motte and bailey castle was constructed near what is now the Kingholm Road gate of Castledykes Park. A second castle was built near the Glencaple Road main gate, possibly after William the Lionheart granted a charter to Dumfries in 1186. In 1286 the castle was seized by Robert the Competitor on the death of Alexander III and in 1300 Edward I of England rebuilt the castle after winning the Battle of Falkirk (1298). In 1306 the castle was seized by Robert the Bruce after the murder of the Red Comyn in Dumfries (on Guid Nychburries day annually, the Cornet raises the Royal Scottish Standard to commemorate the events of 10 February 1306 when Robert the Bruce occupied Castledykes). The castle was demolished after 1313.

Between 1350 and 1700 The Burgh of Dumfries evidently acquired the northern part of the area known as Castledykes, including the quarry known as the ‘Town Quarry'. The land was probably grazing.

By 1738 James Moorhead, a merchant in Dumfries, was tenant and presumably had a house there as his will refers to two gardeners.

William Thomson, writer in Dumfries, began acquiring Castledykes plots and in 1810 referred to his ‘little house and cottage' there. In 1817 he advertised the lease of ‘the desirable residence of Castledykes' with ‘an orchard with fruit trees in full bearing', ‘a neat shrubbery' and ‘a variety of different kinds of valuable shrubs & flowers'.

1821 Ebenezer Stott bought Castledykes estate, after success in the American cotton trade, with his wife Elizabeth, a keen gardener from Philadelphia. They built a new house, probably an Italianate villa style designed by Walter Newall. They also paid Dumfries Burgh the enormous sum of 100 guineas for Kingholm topsoil. Following the death of her husband in 1828 Mrs Stott inherited, but advertised the property for sale in 1829. The sale advertisement mentions a sunken garden with fruit trees and bushes, fountains, peach house, vinery, hot house and cistern, mushroom house, forcing pit, and also on higher ground, a large greenhouse. Fruit grown included grapes, nectarines, peaches, apricots, pomegranites, figs etc. The property was purchased in 1830 by Ebenezer Stott's nephew, Gibson Stott who sold it again in the same year to John McAdam, a cotton merchant. John McAdam owned the property until his death in 1836. References to the gardens over this period include:

‘timber, springs, rills, shady walks, vinery, conservatory, cool water falling over rocks to a pool' McDiarmid, John Dumfries and its Environs (1842).

‘rare shrubs and trees not common in this part of Scotland, kitchen garden in quarry on imported soil, terrace walk looking into this and pleasure ground but steep banks difficult to mow' Loundon, J C (1831-42).

In 1837 the property was bought by Sir Simon Howard, late of the East India Company but sold almost immediately to John Alexander Pringle. Alexander Pringle became the owner as heir by conquest in 1839.

Between 1851 and 1855 Castledykes was under the ownership of Sir Thomas Buchan Hepburn but the property was occupied by his son John Beuchan Hepburn who inherited it in 1855. In 1850 Sir Thomas hosted the annual meeting of the Dumfries and Galloway Horticultural Society and in 1851 Robert Burnett is recorded as the gardener.

Robert Scott, a jute manufacturer whose son owned Nithsdale Tweed Mills purchased the property in 1857. He died in 1871 and Castledykes was purchased by Dr James Bruce who tried to blow up old tree roots with gunpowder. In 1871 Mr Peacock is recorded as the head gardener.

In 1887 High McGregor, a confectionary manufacturer, whose son was a nurseryman, became the owner but in 1891 leased the property to James Carmount, an Agent of the British Linen Company Bank in Dumfries. He was very active in local life and known to be a keen gardener. He stayed until his death in 1922.

The Burgh of Dumfries bought back Castledykes in 1901 and constructed sewage purification works in the quarry which were in operation by 1903. In 1952 the Parks sub-committee accepted administration of the estate on condition that the mansion house was demolished.

Type

Park

Purpose

Recreational/sport

Principal Building

Parks, Gardens And Urban Spaces

Survival

Extant

Hectares

4.65

Open to the public

Yes

Electoral Ward

Caerlaverock