Gutter stones projecting from the walls at Edinburgh Castle, Scotland

The castle at Caherduggan was demolished around the middle of the nineteenth century. Much of its shaped stone was probably removed for reuse in local buildings, but excavation occasionally recovered pieces that had been specially worked for a function within the tower.

One such object appears to be a gutter outlet. It would have projected from the wall near roof level at the end of a gutter, carrying rainwater away from the masonry. The find gives a small but useful insight into how the medieval building was engineered and maintained.

The Caherduggan Castle Gutter Stone