Broadchapel (possible)

Broadchapel is a large mansion attached to which is a long vaulted wing which may be the remains of an earlier castle or tower.

The long vaulted wing, to the north-east of the main house, is known as the Chapel but is reminiscent of the basement of a castle or tower house. Local legend states that there was a “Pele tower” here before the 17th century.

Broadchapel was originally known as Brydechapel and took its name from St Bryde’s Chapel.

In 1494 John Murray received sasine of Revell, Cokpule, Ranpatrick, Brydechapell, Lammartlandis and Prestdikis.

Unfortunately Pont’s late 16th century maps don’t cover this area, and neither do those of Gordon or Blaeu which were based on Pont’s, so there aren’t any cartographical clues as to what was here at that time.

In 1671 the valuation roll for the Royal burgh of Lochmaben recorded that John Henderson of Broadchapel held property with a valuation of £67 7s 6d. He was appointed town clerk of Lochmaben in 1704.

Judging by the style of the north façade of the main house it was probably built at some point in the 18th century, perhaps incorporating earlier work.

During the Jacobite rising of 1715 Sir James Johnstone of Westerhall temporarily left a large supply of weapons at Broadchapel, perhaps suggesting that it was still at that time a place of some strength. The weapons were however stolen in October of that year by a party of Jacobites under the command of William Gordon, 6th Viscount of Kenmure.

The property is marked on Roy’s mid-18th century map as the prominent house of New Mains within a designed estate landscape.

By 1794 the lands of Newmains were owned by Pail Mounsey and had a value of £90.

In 1829 New Mains was the country seat of William Brown from Leith. Brown sent his dog, named Lion, to New Mains “under the charge of a carrier” and he was tied up in the orchard there. However the dog escaped and disappeared but later turned up at his master’s house in Leith having presumably travelled across the country.

John Brown was described as one of the principal landowners in Lochmaben parish in 1845 when Newmains was described as one of three principal mansion-houses along with Halleaths and Elshieshields.

Later the property was owned by the Flint family.

In 1878 or 1881 the main house was remodelled by the architect James Barbour.

By the late 19th or early 20th century Broadchapel was owned by John Corstorphine of Kingsbarns and Pittowie.

I have included Broadchapel as a possible castle pending further research.