Fife Castles - Carden Tower Traditional Cache
Over the Fence: had its day
Fife Castles - Carden Tower
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This cache can be done in conjunction with ‘The Last Duel in Scotland’ cache. The paths are well defined throughout and are buggy friendly. Some beautiful views into Carden Den and the Gelly Burn. The cache is a 35mm film canister.
Carden Tower is known locally as Carden Castle and so is the latest in my Fife Castles series. Unfortunately there is only the foundations remaining so I have added some old pictures in the gallery of what it used to look like.
A 16th century dwelling house probably oblong in plan and containing three storeys, the lowest of which may have been vaulted. A feature of interest was the south west angle which was borne on a continuous corbelling of four members. The round was provided with shot-holes pointing downwards. The masonry is rubble, Four and a half and Four and three quarters Feet thick but, the round and its corbel were of ashlar. The tower has been thirteen and a half feet wide internally but its length is indeterminate. This ruin stands on a rock overlooking the Gelly Burn in the Den approximately one mile south east of Cardenden Railway Station.
The estate of Carden first appeared in records associated with the family of Martyne in 1482 when King James iv confirmed a charter by the deceased John Martyne of Medhope, Linlithgowshire to his son, Henry, of the lands of Cardwan, in the Constabulary of Kinghorn. It remained in that family until the death of Andrew Martyne without issue in 1549. No heir entered into possession for 50 years. In 1582, James vi granted the lands of Carden to George Mertyne who claimed it through his mother, one of the Duries of that ilk. George Mertyne appears to have been the last of that family in Carden. In 1623 David Wemyss was served heir to his father, Duncan Wemyss, in the lands and Barony of Carden.
By 1642, David Betson was successful in a petition to have his Barony of Carden disjoined from the Parish of Kinghorn and adjoined to Auchterderran. In 1707 it was disposed of to the Earl of Melville and in 1725 the estate of Carden became the property of Ferguson of Raith.
Parking can be found at N56º 07.529 W003º 14.127. The gates at this location are usually closed. The cache is a short walk up the track. Note that this is the same parking area as The Last Duel in Scotland Cache.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
haqre fgbarf ng cbfg
Treasures
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