# Baldoon Castle

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{{Short description|Castle in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2025}}
'''Baldoon Castle''' was a 16th-century [castle](/source/castle) about {{convert|1.5|mi}} south west of [Wigtown](/source/Wigtown), [Dumfries and Galloway](/source/Dumfries_and_Galloway), [Scotland](/source/Scotland), south of the [river Bladnoch](/source/river_Bladnoch).<ref name=Coventry>Coventry, Martin (2001). ''The Castles of Scotland''. Musselburgh: Goblinshead. p. 65  {{ISBN|1-899874-26-7}}</ref>

==History==
The [Dunbars](/source/Clan_Dunbar) of Westfield owned the property for almost  three centuries from 1533-34.<ref name=Coventry/>  It was a gift from [King James V](/source/King_James_V) to Archibald Duncan.<ref name=Canmore>{{cite web |url=https://canmore.org.uk/site/63381/baldoon-castle|publisher=[Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland](/source/Royal_Commission_on_the_Ancient_and_Historical_Monuments_of_Scotland)|title=Baldoon Castle |accessdate=2016-08-26}}</ref>

==Structure==
Little remains of the castle:<ref name=Coventry/> only a length of the south wall with the springing of at least three walls on its north face, and the remains of an entrance gateway lying {{convert|50|m}} to the north. The gateway dates from the 17th century, and are described as a good example of [Renaissance](/source/Renaissance) work.<ref name=Canmore/>thumb|left|Baldoon Castle
The gate [piers](/source/Pier_(architecture)) which were part of the entrance to the castle with bands of stylised rock-faced [rustication](/source/Rustication_(architecture))  alternating with lozenges.  They are topped by [cornices](/source/cornices) and [moulded](/source/Molding_(decorative)) scroll caps.<ref name="British Listed Buildings">{{cite web |url=http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/sc-10109-baldoon-castle-gatepiers-kirkinner#.V8A03mdRHL8|title=Baldoon Castle Gate Piers|publisher=British Listed Buildings|accessdate=2016-08-23}}</ref>

The gate piers are registered as a Category A Listed Building.<ref name="British Listed Buildings"/>

==Tradition==
It is said that the ghost of Janet Dalrymple of Carscreugh haunts the ruin, in a bloodied wedding dress.  Janet was forced to marry Sir David Dunbar of [Carscreugh Castle](/source/Old_Luce) although she had fallen in love with another man,<ref name=Coventry/> the impoverished Archibald 3rd [Lord Rutherfurd](/source/Lord_Rutherfurd). She either was murdered on her wedding night or died insane shortly afterward.<ref name=Coventry/>

The story is the basis for both [Sir Walter Scott](/source/Sir_Walter_Scott)’s [The Bride of Lammermoor](/source/The_Bride_of_Lammermoor) and [Gaetano Donizetti](/source/Gaetano_Donizetti)’s opera [Lucia di Lammermoor](/source/Lucia_di_Lammermoor).<ref>The Douglas Archives [https://www.douglashistory.co.uk/history/Places/baldoon_castle.htm The Douglas Archives]</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Castles in Dumfries and Galloway}}

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{{Authority control}}

Category:Castles in Dumfries and Galloway
Category:Category A listed buildings in Dumfries and Galloway

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Baldoon Castle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baldoon_Castle) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baldoon_Castle?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.