Sorbie Tower
Encyclopedia
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...
1 mile east of the village of Sorbie
Sorbie
Sorbie is a small village in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.It is located mid-way between Wigtown and Whithorn on the A714 road. Formerly served by the Wigtownshire Railway branch of the Portpatrick and Wigtownshire Joint Railway, Sorbie once boasted a creamery some of whose produce was exported...
, Dumfries and Galloway
Dumfries and Galloway
Dumfries and Galloway is one of 32 unitary council areas of Scotland. It was one of the nine administrative 'regions' of mainland Scotland created in 1975 by the Local Government etc. Act 1973...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
The ancient seat of the Clan Hannay
Clan Hannay
-Origins of the clan:Although the modern surname Hannay is likely derived from the place name Hannethe, the precise identity of the place is unknown. The family can be traced back to Galloway in South-West Scotland. The name 'Gillbert de Hannethe' appears on the Ragman Rolls of 1296, submitting to...
, it is in an L-shaped format, rubble-built in the late sixteenth century, possibly by Patrick Ahannay.
It was sold to the Earl of Galloway
Earl of Galloway
Earl of Galloway is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1623 for Alexander Stewart, 1st Lord Garlies, with remainder to his heirs male bearing the name and arms of Stewart. He had already been created Lord Garlies in the Peerage of Scotland in 1607, with remainder to the heirs...
in 1677, and when the last of the line died in 1748 the tower became ruinous. It was gifted to the Clan Hannay by its owner in 1965.
It remains to second floor level, although notably for a building of this kind there is no wall-walk or parapet.
The structure is now in the care of Historic Scotland
Historic Scotland
Historic Scotland is an executive agency of the Scottish Government, responsible for historic monuments in Scotland.-Role:As its website states:...
. It can be viewed both from the outside, free of charge, or, if you go to Garlieston Village and enquire within the village shop, you can go inside.
External links
Sorbie Tower continues to be owned by the members of Clan Hannay International and is NOT in the care of Historic Scotland.
Several grants have been received for restoration from them.