Wallace's Tower

Coordinates: 55°34′01″N 2°28′37″W / 55.56705°N 2.477074°W / 55.56705; -2.477074
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Wallace’s Tower
Wallace's Tower remains
Wallace’s Tower is located in Scottish Borders
Wallace’s Tower
Wallace’s Tower
Coordinates55°34′01″N 2°28′37″W / 55.56705°N 2.477074°W / 55.56705; -2.477074
Site information
OwnerClan Kerr
Conditionruined
Site history
Built16th century
Materialsrubble

Wallace's Tower is a ruined 16th-century L-plan tower house, about 3 miles (4.8 km) south west Kelso, Scottish Borders, Scotland, in Roxburgh, west of the River Teviot.[1]

History[edit]

The property belonged to the Kerrs of Cessford.[1] A charter of 1543, which confirmed Walter Ker of Cessford as owner of the lands of the East Mains of Roxburgh, mentions the tower. It has been suggested that it formed part of a chain of signal towers created to warn of English incursions.[2]

Structure[edit]

The tower comprised a main block, with a vaulted basement, and a stair wing, with a tower added at a corner.[1] The main tower was rectangular, with the wings on its north. One vaulted cellar, which measured 28.5 feet (8.7 m) by 16.5 feet (5.0 m), had two aumbries in the north west wall. There was a service-stair to the north tower, and a door into a vaulted chamber (measuring almost 12 feet (3.7 m) by over 11 feet (3.4 m) with an aumbry in the south west gable) the lowest storey of the south wing. The tower is constructed of freestone rubble. Its windows, which are small, have rounded arises.[2]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Coventry, Martin (1997) The Castles of Scotland. Goblinshead. ISBN 1-899874-10-0 p.323
  2. ^ a b Historic Environment Scotland. "Wallace's Tower (58434)". Canmore. Retrieved 31 July 2021.

55°34′01″N 2°28′37″W / 55.56705°N 2.477074°W / 55.56705; -2.477074