Armoury

The Armoury was built in 1863  by William Thomson, Joseph’s father to contain rifles and ammunition for the Penpont Rifle Volunteers which came into existence in 1860 and continued to 1885. The rifles were then removed to Thornhill.

The building is 11’ (3.35 metres) wide by 15’ (4.5 metres) long with the door and windows  reinforced and barred to keep the rifles and ammunition secure.

 The same fine stonework has been used in the walls as in the rest of the cottage and the roof, of differential courses of slate, is dressed with the same fine sandstone skews rising to a pinnacle.

The building has changed little over the passage of time and was used as a store until the Joseph Thomson Group acquired the property.

Internally the room is lined with lath and plaster, a section of which has come away revealing the cleaved laths beneath.

The panelling which held the gun racks was so dilapidated that it had to be removed but you can still see how it was constructed. The floor, door and window have been replaced otherwise the Armoury remains in its original condition.

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