Structural repair work helps safeguard 15th Century castle

Structural repair work to help safeguard the future of a category A-listed castle in the south of Scotland has been approved.

Comlongon Castle, in Clarencefield near Dumfries, dates back to the 15th Century.

It was a popular wedding venue before ceasing trading after "encountering liquidity problems" in 2019.

New owners have since taken over and are carrying out a wide range of restoration work which has now been granted permission by Dumfries and Galloway Council.

The building is considered to be one of Scotland's finest surviving examples of a 15th Century Tower House and would have been visible from far and wide from its site near the Solway Firth.

After its closure as a wedding venue, it was purchased by David Thomson and Teresa Church.

They set about undertaking "essential and emergency works" to safeguard the property.

It has been targeted by trespassers which led to concerns of potential fire damage or antisocial behaviour.

A number of security measures have been carried out as a result.

A council report said the work was required to "secure the immediate future of the building".

It included the installation of security grilles, removal of some internal wall linings and stabilisation and propping works.

Council planning officials concluded that although some of the work had been carried out before getting consent, it was "required for the preservation and maintenance of the castle".

They said a "productive dialogue" had now been established and the need for an "overall masterplan of works" had been noted.

A design statement accompanying the plans said the vision behind safeguarding the castle was to ensure it could "provide a catalyst for the reinvigoration and long-term sustainability of the wider estate".

That would see it "continuing to serve as a venue for hospitality and excellence in the area".

Thomson and Church already have a track record for overseeing the restoration of properties in the region by bringing the Annandale Distillery near Annan back into operation and revamping the Globe Inn in Dumfries.

The first records of the Comlongon Tower House go back to before 1500 with a first mansion house constructed next to the castle in 1610.

In 1901, the mansion house was damaged by fire and rebuilt, then Barnardos ran the castle as a children's home during World War Two.

Permission was granted in 1986 to operate it as a hotel which continued until it ceased trading more than 30 years later.