Dryhope Tower
Encyclopedia
Dryhope Tower is a ruined Scottish
pele tower in the valley of the Yarrow Water, in the historic county of Selkirkshire
, now part of the Scottish Borders
. It lies approximately equidistant between the burgh
s of Moffat
and Selkirk, and defended the north eastern end of St Mary's Loch
. The site itself was protected on two sides, to the east by the Dryhope Burn and to the west by the Kirkstead Burn.
construction. The tower rests within the remains of a barmkin
which also contained other buildings.
in 1535, that required large landholders in the Borderlands to build barmkins of stone and lime, sixty square feet in area and with walls of one ell
thickness and six ells in height for the resett and defense of him, his tennents, and his gudis in troublous tyme.
The castle belonged to the Scotts of Dryhope, and a daughter of the House , Mary Scott was known as the "Flower of Yarrow" and was also an ancestor of Sir Walter Scott. Mary was given in marriage to Wat Scott of Kirkhope
, a notorious Border Reiver. The property passed to Wat Scott's family, the Scotts of Harden, and Scott took possession of Dryhope following his marriage. However, in 1592, Wat Scott fell out of favour with King James VI due to his association with Francis Stewart, 1st Earl of Bothwell. King James levied an army and proceeded through the forest and slighted many houses of his opponents. Wat Scott did not get off lightly and Dryhope was amongst Scott of Harden's fortalices that were slighted
. The tower seems to have been rebuilt by 1613. The castle fell into terminal decay in the latter part of the 17th century and was acquired by the senior branch of the Scotts, the Dukes of Buccleuch
.
Dryhope Tower today belongs to the Philiphaugh
Estate, and has recently been undergoing stabilisation work.
Kingdom of Scotland
The Kingdom of Scotland was a Sovereign state in North-West Europe that existed from 843 until 1707. It occupied the northern third of the island of Great Britain and shared a land border to the south with the Kingdom of England...
pele tower in the valley of the Yarrow Water, in the historic county of Selkirkshire
Selkirkshire
Selkirkshire or the County of Selkirk is a registration county of Scotland. It borders Peeblesshire to the west, Midlothian to the north, Berwickshire to the north-east, Roxburghshire to the east, and Dumfriesshire to the south...
, now part of the Scottish Borders
Scottish Borders
The Scottish Borders is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It is bordered by Dumfries and Galloway in the west, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian in the north west, City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian to the north; and the non-metropolitan counties of Northumberland...
. It lies approximately equidistant between the burgh
Burgh
A burgh was an autonomous corporate entity in Scotland and Northern England, usually a town. This type of administrative division existed from the 12th century, when King David I created the first royal burghs. Burgh status was broadly analogous to borough status, found in the rest of the United...
s of Moffat
Moffat
Moffat is a former burgh and spa town in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, lying on the River Annan, with a population of around 2,500. The most notable building in the town is the Moffat House Hotel, designed by John Adam...
and Selkirk, and defended the north eastern end of St Mary's Loch
St Mary's Loch
St Mary's Loch is the largest natural loch in the Scottish Borders, and is situated on the A708 road between Selkirk and Moffat, about south of Edinburgh. It is long and wide, and was created by glacial action during the last ice age...
. The site itself was protected on two sides, to the east by the Dryhope Burn and to the west by the Kirkstead Burn.
Construction
Built of local stone, Dryhope Tower was originally a four storey building, with the first two storeys of vaultedVault (architecture)
A Vault is an architectural term for an arched form used to provide a space with a ceiling or roof. The parts of a vault exert lateral thrust that require a counter resistance. When vaults are built underground, the ground gives all the resistance required...
construction. The tower rests within the remains of a barmkin
Barmkin
Barmkin, also spelled barmekin or barnekin, is a Scots word which refers to a form of medieval and later defensive enclosure, typically found around smaller castles, tower houses, pele towers, and bastle houses in Scotland, and the north of England. It has been suggested that etymologically the...
which also contained other buildings.
History
The tower was likely to have been raised according to a statute of the Parliament of ScotlandParliament of Scotland
The Parliament of Scotland, officially the Estates of Parliament, was the legislature of the Kingdom of Scotland. The unicameral parliament of Scotland is first found on record during the early 13th century, with the first meeting for which a primary source survives at...
in 1535, that required large landholders in the Borderlands to build barmkins of stone and lime, sixty square feet in area and with walls of one ell
Ell
An ell , is a unit of measurement, approximating the length of a man's arm.Several national forms existed, with different lengths, includingthe Scottish ell ,the Flemish ell ,the French ell...
thickness and six ells in height for the resett and defense of him, his tennents, and his gudis in troublous tyme.
The castle belonged to the Scotts of Dryhope, and a daughter of the House , Mary Scott was known as the "Flower of Yarrow" and was also an ancestor of Sir Walter Scott. Mary was given in marriage to Wat Scott of Kirkhope
Kirkhope Tower
Kirkhope Tower is a Scottish Pele, located in the Ettrick Valley, in the historic county of Selkirkshire, now a division of the Scottish Borders. The tower lies a mile to the north west of Ettrickbridge, and seven miles from the Burgh of Selkirk....
, a notorious Border Reiver. The property passed to Wat Scott's family, the Scotts of Harden, and Scott took possession of Dryhope following his marriage. However, in 1592, Wat Scott fell out of favour with King James VI due to his association with Francis Stewart, 1st Earl of Bothwell. King James levied an army and proceeded through the forest and slighted many houses of his opponents. Wat Scott did not get off lightly and Dryhope was amongst Scott of Harden's fortalices that were slighted
Slighting
A slighting is the deliberate destruction, partial or complete, of a fortification without opposition. During the English Civil War this was to render it unusable as a fort.-Middle Ages:...
. The tower seems to have been rebuilt by 1613. The castle fell into terminal decay in the latter part of the 17th century and was acquired by the senior branch of the Scotts, the Dukes of Buccleuch
Duke of Buccleuch
The title Duke of Buccleuch , formerly also spelt Duke of Buccleugh, was created in the Peerage of Scotland on 20 April 1663 for the Duke of Monmouth, who was the eldest illegitimate son of Charles II of Scotland, England, and Ireland and who had married Anne Scott, 4th Countess of Buccleuch.Anne...
.
Dryhope Tower today belongs to the Philiphaugh
Philiphaugh
Philiphaugh is a village by the Yarrow Water, on the outskirts of Selkirk, in the Scottish Borders.Places nearby include Bowhill, Broadmeadows, the Ettrick Water, Ettrickbridge, Lindean, Salenside, Yarrowford and the Yair Forest....
Estate, and has recently been undergoing stabilisation work.
See also
- CappercleuchCappercleuchCappercleuch is a settlement on the A708, at St. Mary's Loch in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, in the former Selkirkshire.Places nearby include Bowerhope Law, Craigierig, Deer Law, the Dryhope Tower, Ettrickbridge, the Ettrick Forest, the Megget Reservoir, the Megget Water, Mountbenger, the...
, DryhopeDryhopeDryhope is a village in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, by St. Mary's Loch, on the A708.-See also:*Dryhope Tower*List of places in the Scottish Borders*List of places in Scotland-External links:******... - St. Mary's Loch
- List of places in the Scottish Borders
- List of places in Scotland