Preston Tower
Encyclopedia
Preston Tower is a ruined L-plan
keep
in the ancient village of Prestonpans. It is situated within a few metres from two other historic house
s, Hamilton House
and Northfield House
.
The original structure, some of which may date from the 14th century, has four storeys. A further two storeys were added above the parapet
in 1626, with Renaissance
windows bearing the initials SIDKH (Sir John and Dame Katherine Hamilton).
The entrance to the Tower had a lean-to
hoarding from which items could be dropped, for instance boulders, hot sand, or boiling oil.
Preston passed by marriage to the "haughty Hamiltons" (also known as "Hameldone") at the close of the 14th century. It was burnt by the Earl of Hertford
in 1544 during the Rough Wooing, and by Oliver Cromwell
in 1650. After being restored it burnt again, accidentally, in 1663 and was abandoned for the nearby Preston House, East Lothian. One of the Hamilton family was the noted covenanter
Robert Hamilton, a commander in the battles of Drumclog
and Bothwell Brig. After this, the family were forfeited in 1684, but recovered the property in the 19th century.
Preston Tower was purchased by the National Trust for Scotland
in 1969. It is currently under the guardianship of East Lothian Council.
The site also has a laburnum
arch, and a herb garden, and a lectern
-style doocot which dates from the mid-17th century, after Cromwell had sacked the Tower.
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...
keep
Keep
A keep is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word keep, but usually consider it to refer to large towers in castles that were fortified residences, used as a refuge of last resort should the rest of the...
in the ancient village of Prestonpans. It is situated within a few metres from two other historic house
Historic house
A historic house can be a stately home, the birthplace of a famous person, or a house with an interesting history or architecture.- Background :...
s, Hamilton House
Hamilton House, East Lothian
Hamilton House is a historic house in the village of Preston in East Lothian, Scotland, UK. It is situated very close to its neighbouring communities of Prestonpans and Prestongrange.-History:...
and Northfield House
Northfield House, East Lothian
Northfield House is a seventeenth century historic house at Preston, East Lothian, Scotland, UK. It is situated very close to Hamilton House and Preston Tower, and one mile east to Prestongrange House and the Royal Musselburgh Golf Club....
.
The original structure, some of which may date from the 14th century, has four storeys. A further two storeys were added above the parapet
Parapet
A parapet is a wall-like barrier at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony or other structure. Where extending above a roof, it may simply be the portion of an exterior wall that continues above the line of the roof surface, or may be a continuation of a vertical feature beneath the roof such as a...
in 1626, with Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
windows bearing the initials SIDKH (Sir John and Dame Katherine Hamilton).
The entrance to the Tower had a lean-to
Lean-to
A lean-to is a term used to describe a roof with a single slope. The term also applies to a variety of structures that are built using a lean-to roof....
hoarding from which items could be dropped, for instance boulders, hot sand, or boiling oil.
Preston passed by marriage to the "haughty Hamiltons" (also known as "Hameldone") at the close of the 14th century. It was burnt by the Earl of Hertford
Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset
Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset, 1st Earl of Hertford, 1st Viscount Beauchamp of Hache, KG, Earl Marshal was Lord Protector of England in the period between the death of Henry VIII in 1547 and his own indictment in 1549....
in 1544 during the Rough Wooing, and by Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
in 1650. After being restored it burnt again, accidentally, in 1663 and was abandoned for the nearby Preston House, East Lothian. One of the Hamilton family was the noted covenanter
Covenanter
The Covenanters were a Scottish Presbyterian movement that played an important part in the history of Scotland, and to a lesser extent in that of England and Ireland, during the 17th century...
Robert Hamilton, a commander in the battles of Drumclog
Battle of Drumclog
The Battle of Drumclog was fought on 1 June 1679, between a group of Covenanters and the forces of John Graham of Claverhouse, at High Drumclog, in South Lanarkshire, Scotland.- The battle :...
and Bothwell Brig. After this, the family were forfeited in 1684, but recovered the property in the 19th century.
Preston Tower was purchased by the National Trust for Scotland
National Trust for Scotland
The National Trust for Scotland for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, commonly known as the National Trust for Scotland describes itself as the conservation charity that protects and promotes Scotland's natural and cultural heritage for present and future generations to...
in 1969. It is currently under the guardianship of East Lothian Council.
The site also has a laburnum
Laburnum
Laburnum is a genus of two species of small trees in the subfamily Faboideae of the pea family Fabaceae, Laburnum anagyroides and L. alpinum . They are native to the mountains of southern Europe from France to the Balkan Peninsula...
arch, and a herb garden, and a lectern
Lectern
A lectern is a reading desk with a slanted top, usually placed on a stand or affixed to some other form of support, on which documents or books are placed as support for reading aloud, as in a scripture reading, lecture, or sermon...
-style doocot which dates from the mid-17th century, after Cromwell had sacked the Tower.