Castlelaw Souterrain

Nearest town:
Penicuik (3km SSE)
OS reference:
NT229638
OS sheet:
66
Latitude:
55° 51' 39.99 N
Longitude:
3° 13' 55.04 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Castlelaw Souterrain by GLADMAN

This is one way to obtain a likeness of the underside of the entrance lintel to the ‘house’, I guess.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Jun 30, 2014
Image of Castlelaw Souterrain by GLADMAN

Inside the chamber wondering how such silence can exist in this modern world... when a sheep starts clattering on the roof.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Jun 23, 2014
Image of Castlelaw Souterrain by GLADMAN

Within the chamber... a shaft of light through the skylight.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Jun 23, 2014
Image of Castlelaw Souterrain by GLADMAN

It’s a struggle to enter the chamber, particularly with camera tripod. But then again that’s the only way to be able to look out, I guess.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Jun 23, 2014
Image of Castlelaw Souterrain by GLADMAN

Looking down the passage.... the chamber opens off to the right. [Note: for better or worse natural light was utilised for this and subsequent images].

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Jun 23, 2014
Image of Castlelaw Souterrain by sunbird

The view from the south side of Castlaw

Image credit: James "Sunbird" Carrington
sunbird
sunbird Oct 28, 2007
Image of Castlelaw Souterrain by sunbird

Looking back into the Inner Chamber, alas ye ancient graffiti kinda takes away from the atmosphere

Image credit: James "Sunbird" Carrington
sunbird
sunbird Oct 28, 2007
Image of Castlelaw Souterrain by sunbird

taken today (28/10/07) from inside the inner chamber of Castlelaw

Image credit: James "Sunbird" Carrington
sunbird
sunbird Oct 28, 2007

Articles

Castlelaw Souterrain

C
CARL May 27, 2010

Visited July 2009.

For directions see Martin’s post below.
I stopped off here on the way back from a visit to Edinburgh. There is a T/A building next to where you park and signs stating that you can’t visit when the flags are flying – which means there is live firing taking place! Luckily when I visited all was peaceful and I had no trouble entering the Souterrain through the unlocked metal gate. The site reminded me very much of Fogues I visited in Cornwall this year – very similar – so much so that my guess is they were used for the same purpose. Well worth a visit if you happen to be in the area.

Castlelaw Souterrain

Martin
Martin Dec 15, 2001

Castlelaw Souterrain, fort and settlement

I’ve visited this site on about 6 or 7 occasions at various times of the year- from glorious summers days spent in the Pentland Hills to sheet ice and waist deep snow. I first visited this souterrain when I was still at school, catching a bus to Hillend and walking the rest of the way- it was another I was inspired to see after reading a description in ‘Scotland Before History’ by Stuart Piggot. The roof has been re-built with the not-so-nice concrete and thick glass tiles finish. The roof was thought to originally have been constructed partly from timber, which is kinda unusual for a souterrain. The main chamber is really quite big- over 20 m long and about 2 m high- being able to walk inside a souterrain as opposed to crawling or stooping- a rare treat! Halfway along the main passage is another small chamber big enough to crawl into and stand in. Finds here have included Roman glass and iron as well as a bronze buckle with Celtic ornamentation and the site has been dated to approx 2 CE.

Directions
Take the A702 Biggar road south out of Edinburgh as it hugs the countours of the Pentlands. Pass Boghall and Easter Howgate farms, the track to the site is just after the latter on the right hand side of the road. Follow the track uphill- there’s parking at the top.

Sites within 20km of Castlelaw Souterrain

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