Merchiston Castle
Encyclopedia
Merchiston Castle or Merchiston Tower was probably built by Alexander Napier, the second Laird
of Merchiston
around 1454. It serves as the seat for Clan Napier
. It is perhaps most notable for being the home of John Napier, the 8th Laird of Merchiston
, inventor of logarithms who was born there in 1550.
The lands surrounding the castle were acquired in 1438 by Alexander Napier, the first Laird of Merchiston, and remained in the Napier family
for most of the following five centuries.
Merchiston Castle was probably built as a country house, but its strategic position and the turbulent political situation required it to be heavily fortified - with some walls as much as six feet thick - and it was frequently under siege. During restoration in the 1960s a twenty-six pound cannon-ball was found embedded in the Tower, thought to date from the struggle in 1572 between Mary, Queen of Scots, and supporters of her son, James VI
.
In 1659, the castle was sold to Ninian Lowis, in whose family it remained until 1729, when it was sold to the governors of George Watson's
hospital. The tower was reacquired by the Napier of Merchiston family when Francis Napier, 6th Lord Napier
bought it in 1752.
In 1772, a year before the sixth Lord's death, the Tower was sold to a relative, Charles Hope-Weir
, second son of John Hope, 2nd Earl of Hopetoun
. Weir sold it in 1775 to Robert Turner, a lawyer, who sold it in 1785 to Robert Blair
, a professor of astronomy
at Edinburgh University.
The Napier family again came into possession of Merchiston Castle in 1818, when it was purchased by William Napier, 9th Lord Napier
.
In 1833, Lord Napier let the Tower to Charles Chalmers, who founded the Merchiston Castle School
. It was sold outright to the school in 1914 by The Honourable John Scott Napier, fourteenth Laird of Merchiston (son of Francis Napier, 10th Lord Napier
). The school vacated the building in 1930, moving to a site some three miles away.
The property passed first to The Merchant Company in 1930, and then to the Edinburgh City Council in 1935, and remained unoccupied (except for war service) until 1956 when it was suggested as the centerpiece of a new technical college. Restoration work began in 1958, highlights of which were the discovery of the entrance drawbridge and the preservation of an original seventeenth century plaster ceiling.
It now stands at the center of Napier University’s
Merchiston
campus.
The Tower is an interesting and elaborate example of the medieval
tower house
, being built on the familiar "L" plan
with a wing projecting to the north. It was originally vaulted at the second floor and the roof. Among several remarkable features is the unusual elaboration of the main entrance, which is at second floor level in the south front. The tall shallow recess in which the doorway is set undoubtedly housed a drawbridge which must have rested upon an outwork some 14 feet above ground level and 10 feet from the Tower.
Shortly after being let to Merchiston Castle School
it was considerably altered with the addition of a castellated Gothic-style two-story extension (see picture) and a basement, which has since been removed.
Napier University has taken out large sections of wall on the northern extension to accommodate a corridor which runs through the Castle to other campus buildings.
Laird
A Laird is a member of the gentry and is a heritable title in Scotland. In the non-peerage table of precedence, a Laird ranks below a Baron and above an Esquire.-Etymology:...
of Merchiston
Merchiston
Merchiston is a prosperous, mainly residential area in the south-west of Edinburgh, Scotland. The housing is primarily a mixture of large, late Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian villas – several of the latter by Edward Calvert – together with a smaller number of Victorian tenements and...
around 1454. It serves as the seat for Clan Napier
Clan Napier
Clan Napier is a Scottish clan originally from lands around Loch Lomond, but with presence in Stirlingshire, Edinburgh, Aberdeenshire and Kincardineshire.-Origins of the Clan:There is some debate about the origin of the name Napier...
. It is perhaps most notable for being the home of John Napier, the 8th Laird of Merchiston
John Napier
John Napier of Merchiston – also signed as Neper, Nepair – named Marvellous Merchiston, was a Scottish mathematician, physicist, astronomer & astrologer, and also the 8th Laird of Merchistoun. He was the son of Sir Archibald Napier of Merchiston. John Napier is most renowned as the discoverer...
, inventor of logarithms who was born there in 1550.
History
Clan Napier
Clan Napier is a Scottish clan originally from lands around Loch Lomond, but with presence in Stirlingshire, Edinburgh, Aberdeenshire and Kincardineshire.-Origins of the Clan:There is some debate about the origin of the name Napier...
for most of the following five centuries.
Merchiston Castle was probably built as a country house, but its strategic position and the turbulent political situation required it to be heavily fortified - with some walls as much as six feet thick - and it was frequently under siege. During restoration in the 1960s a twenty-six pound cannon-ball was found embedded in the Tower, thought to date from the struggle in 1572 between Mary, Queen of Scots, and supporters of her son, James VI
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
.
In 1659, the castle was sold to Ninian Lowis, in whose family it remained until 1729, when it was sold to the governors of George Watson's
George Watson (accountant)
George Watson, was born in Scotland to parents John Watson and Marion Ewing. He was orphaned at an early age, but thanks to his aunt, Elizabeth Davidson, he was sent in 1672 to be educated in book-keeping at Rotterdam. He returned to Edinburgh to become, in 1676, private secretary to Sir James Dick...
hospital. The tower was reacquired by the Napier of Merchiston family when Francis Napier, 6th Lord Napier
Francis Napier, 6th Lord Napier
-Family:Born Francis Scott, he was the son of Sir William Scott, 2nd Baronet of Thirlestane, and Elizabeth Napier, Mistress of Napier. Upon the death of his maternal grandmother Margaret Brisbane, 5th Lady Napier, he achieved the title Lord Napier and changed his last name to Napier; upon the death...
bought it in 1752.
In 1772, a year before the sixth Lord's death, the Tower was sold to a relative, Charles Hope-Weir
Charles Hope-Weir
The Hon. Charles Hope-Weir was a Scottish politician.Born The Hon. Charles Hope, he was the second son of Charles Hope, 1st Earl of Hopetoun and Lady Henrietta Johnstone, daughter of William Johnstone, 1st Marquess of Annandale...
, second son of John Hope, 2nd Earl of Hopetoun
John Hope, 2nd Earl of Hopetoun
John Hope, 2nd Earl of Hopetoun was the son of Charles Hope, 1st Earl of Hopetoun and Lady Henrietta Johnstone....
. Weir sold it in 1775 to Robert Turner, a lawyer, who sold it in 1785 to Robert Blair
Robert Blair (astronomer)
Robert Blair was a Scottish astronomer.Robert Blair was the first Regius Professor of Astronomy at the University of Edinburgh . He invented the aplanatic lens and also coined this term. This was a significant step in reducing the aberration in optical systems...
, a professor of astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
at Edinburgh University.
The Napier family again came into possession of Merchiston Castle in 1818, when it was purchased by William Napier, 9th Lord Napier
William Napier, 9th Lord Napier
William John Napier, 9th Lord Napier was a Royal Navy officer, politician and diplomat.- Early life :He was the son of Francis Napier, 8th Lord Napier and the father of Francis Napier, 10th Lord Napier and 1st Baron Ettrick . He served during the battle of Trafalgar as a midshipman...
.
In 1833, Lord Napier let the Tower to Charles Chalmers, who founded the Merchiston Castle School
Merchiston Castle School
Merchiston Castle School is an independent school for boys in the village of Colinton in Edinburgh, Scotland. It has about 480 pupils and is open to boys between the ages of 8 and 18 as either boarders or day pupils; day pupils make up 35% of the school....
. It was sold outright to the school in 1914 by The Honourable John Scott Napier, fourteenth Laird of Merchiston (son of Francis Napier, 10th Lord Napier
Francis Napier, 10th Lord Napier
Francis Napier, 10th Lord Napier and 1st Baron Ettrick, KT, PC , was a Scottish polyglot, diplomat and colonial administrator. He served as the British Minister to the United States from 1857 to 1859, Netherlands from 1859 to 1860, Russia from 1861 to 1864, Prussia from 1864 to 1866 and as the...
). The school vacated the building in 1930, moving to a site some three miles away.
The property passed first to The Merchant Company in 1930, and then to the Edinburgh City Council in 1935, and remained unoccupied (except for war service) until 1956 when it was suggested as the centerpiece of a new technical college. Restoration work began in 1958, highlights of which were the discovery of the entrance drawbridge and the preservation of an original seventeenth century plaster ceiling.
It now stands at the center of Napier University’s
Napier University
Edinburgh Napier is one of the largest higher education institutions in Scotland with over 17,000 students, including nearly 5,000 international students, from more than 100 nations worldwide.-History:...
Merchiston
Merchiston
Merchiston is a prosperous, mainly residential area in the south-west of Edinburgh, Scotland. The housing is primarily a mixture of large, late Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian villas – several of the latter by Edward Calvert – together with a smaller number of Victorian tenements and...
campus.
Design
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
tower house
Tower house
A tower house is a particular type of stone structure, built for defensive purposes as well as habitation.-History:Tower houses began to appear in the Middle Ages, especially in mountain or limited access areas, in order to command and defend strategic points with reduced forces...
, being built on the familiar "L" plan
L Plan Castle
An L-plan castle is a castle or towerhouse in the shape of an L, typically built in the 13th to the 17th century. This design is found quite frequently in Scotland, but is also seen in England, Ireland, Romania, Sardinia, and other locations. The evolution of its design was an expansion of the...
with a wing projecting to the north. It was originally vaulted at the second floor and the roof. Among several remarkable features is the unusual elaboration of the main entrance, which is at second floor level in the south front. The tall shallow recess in which the doorway is set undoubtedly housed a drawbridge which must have rested upon an outwork some 14 feet above ground level and 10 feet from the Tower.
Shortly after being let to Merchiston Castle School
Merchiston Castle School
Merchiston Castle School is an independent school for boys in the village of Colinton in Edinburgh, Scotland. It has about 480 pupils and is open to boys between the ages of 8 and 18 as either boarders or day pupils; day pupils make up 35% of the school....
it was considerably altered with the addition of a castellated Gothic-style two-story extension (see picture) and a basement, which has since been removed.
Napier University has taken out large sections of wall on the northern extension to accommodate a corridor which runs through the Castle to other campus buildings.