This is a rendition of what I think Newbie Castle may have looked like. It is taken from descriptive bits and snatches here and there in the literature. It was built by descendants of William Johnstoun of Gretna and Newbie, more specifically his son John Johnstoun of Newbie.

To date we have found 2 thumbnail sketches described as "fanciful", but not a more accurate artist's drawing of Newbie Castle. This has fired my curiosity to discover the unknown...lol... I have emailed the National Library of Scotland, Historic Environment Scotland, and the St. Andrew's University Library, which has the largest collection of literature on Scottish castles, asking for their help in finding an image of Newbie Castle that we may use. They have nothing. Dumfries Museum has been contacted too. The Annan Museum has nothing, but all is not lost, yet! I'm just running out of resources.

Today I decided to take all of the information that I have been able to find on Newbie Castle and make a composite sketch using these few known facts.

First, Newbie Castle was more contemporary with Closeburn Castle than Bonshaw Castle. This was the starting point for my drawing of Newbie Castle, actually a fortalice (a small fort or fortified house).

Both Newbie Castle and Closeburn Castle were 3 stories high, had basements and battlements! The battlements were a feature of earlier designed castles. The roofs were peaked and sheathed with lead to make them weatherproof.

One item that I have been unable to determine is the placement of the chimney. On most towers/castles the fireplaces were placed on an end-wall; however, Closeburn Castle had it in the center which is where I left it on this drawing..

Newbie Castle was surrounded by a moat with a drawbridge. Using the sketch from, "Border Towers of Scotland 2" by Alastair M. T. Maxwell-Irving, p. 450., I moved the main entry to the gabled end of the castle inline with what appears to be the drawbridge, or not as another thumbnail sketch may have a hint of the drawbridge at the side with the arrowslits. These were also adjusted.

The walls of Newbie Castle varied from 3'-12' thick. Here I am going to make a few assumptions. First, the 12' thick walls would have been on the ground floor level as that is where the brunt of attacks would have occurred, IMO. The walls probably stepped down in thickness with each of the 3 levels of the castle, i.e.: 1st floor walls = 12' thick; 2nd story walls = 6' thick, and 3rd story walls = 3' thick. This would have given them a strong foundation for the 2nd and 3rd story floors and ultimately the battlements and roof. I did find a reference to a 6' thick wall too which is why I am making the assumption of the stepped design for the varying thicknesses of the walls as they rise in height.

The windows were narrow and few. One of the thumbnail sketches shows a tall pole at the far end. I took the liberty of assuming that it was a flagpole. It may well have been a signal flagpole as we know from the records that Wamphray Tower and Lochwood Castle used a system of flagpoles to send messages back and forth between them, mostly to warn each other of impending attacks. At Wamphray they actually built an artificial hill and installed the signal flagpole on top of it. It had a direct line of sight with Lochwood Castle's signal flagpole. I would not be surprised to find that there was another fortified tower or castle with its own signal flagpole within the line of sight of Newbie Castle.

I was able to find 2 sketches of Closeburn Castle. One old and in disrepair, and the other remodeled and refurbished with larger windows and more of them. plus a few other additions. I took both drawings into Photoshop, used the updated castle image as the foundation, removed the new structures, and "reinstalled" the older windows and entryway. I strongly suspect that Newbie Castle was considerably larger than the sketch indicates as it was said that it was the only castle in the area large enough to host the King.

Here are some typical features of fortalices in the 1200-1500s:
1) a 2-chambered, vaulted-ceiling basement with the kitchen in one of the rooms,
2) a water well in the basement,
3) an iron yett (iron grillwork gate) to protect the main entrance,
4) a turnpike or circular staircase, spiraling clockwise, to the left of the main entry,
5) vaulted ceiling on the main floor,
6) the laird's quarters immediately above the ground floor,
7) stone seats in front of the windows, a feature of older castles,
8) aumbries (niches set into the walls), often one on either side of a fireplace, and
9) a long fireplace in the great hall on the ground floor.

From what I have read, both Newbie and Closeburn Castles were built at about the same time and were of the same general design. I hope that you approve of the finished product. If you have any additional information on Newbie Castle I will be glad to hear from you.