Bastle or Bastle House
Cut-away reconstruction drawings of the layout of typical Bastle-Houses The word Bastle was derived from the French term “Bastille” and denoted a stronghouse. They are to be found throughout the length of the Border. Bastles…
Tower House
Generalities and Cut-Away Drawing of Tower-Houses by Pete Armstrong. The terms “Tower-House” and “Pele Tower” are the cause of some confusion. Though the terminology differs, the function of these buildings is similar and their form…
Pele Tower
Generalities, description and cut-away drawing of a Pele, Peel or Pele-Tower by Pete Armstrong Pele is derived from “pel” an Old French word for a stake. In early times many fortifications were constructed from wooden…
Tushielaw Tower Scottish Borders
Panoramic view of the extensive ruins of Adam Scott of Tushielaw's stronghold in Ettrick The extensive ruins of Tushielaw Tower and its associated structures are situated on a natural platform on the slopes of Tushielaw,…
Tinnis Castle, Tweeddale, Peeblesshire, Scottish Borders
Tinnis Castle, Tweeddale, Peeblesshire, Scottish Borders High above the valley of the River Tweed, on the summit of a prominent rocky knoll that it shares with the remains of an Iron Age fort, lie the…
Thirlstane Tower, Ettrick, Selkirkshire, Scottish Borders
Thirlstane Tower, Ettrick, Selkirkshire, Scottish Borders Thirlstane Tower stands in what was once the grounds of Thirlstane House, a gothic pile with neo-classic features of the 1820s, demolished in 1965. The remains of the tower…
Smailholm Tower, Nr. Kelso, Roxburghshire, Scottish Borders
Smailholm Tower; Drawing Drawing by Pete Armstrong of Smailholm Tower, Nr. Kelso, Roxburghshire, Scottish Borders Smailholm is strongly situated on a rocky outcrop above a dark lochan six miles west of Kelso and commands extensive…
Slacks Tower site, Roxburghshire, Scottish Borders
Slacks Tower site , Scottish Borders, Roxburghshire, Upper Jed Water Valley Slacks pele-house dates from the 16th century and closely resembles its neighbour at Mervinslaw just two miles to the north-east. It stands on the…
Slacks Tower Interior, Southdean, Roxburghshire, Scottish Borders
Slacks Tower Interior, Southdean, Roxburghshire, Scottish Borders Slacks pele-house which dates from the 16th century and closely resembles its neighbour at Mervinslaw stands on the right bank of Jed Water about a mile and a…
Riccarton Tower Remains, Liddesdale, Scottish Borders
Riccarton Tower, Liddesdale, Roxburghshire The remains of Riccarton Tower stand on a natural platform, above Riccarton Burn, in a clearing in the surrounding forestry plantation. Against the south wall, a sheepfold has been built, probably…
Rhymers Tower, Earlston, Berwickshire, Scottish Borders
Rhymers Tower, Earlston, Berwickshire, Scottish Borders The remains of the tower of Thomas the Rhymer stand near the west end of the village of Earlston in the Leader Water Valley in Berwickshire. Unsympathetic urban expansion…
Mary Queen of Scots House, Jedburgh
Mary Queen of Scots' House, Jedburgh, Roxburghshire, Scottish Borders Queen Mary's House has been considerably altered but its plan indicates that it was built in the late 16th century. The building has a definite resemblance…
Mangerton Tower Heraldic Panel, Liddesdale
Mangerton Tower, Heraldic Panel, Newcastleton, Liddesdale, Roxburghshire, Scottish Borders The heraldic stone panel built into the wall of the rather slight remains of Mangerton Tower is one of the few artefacts that remain to remind…
