Gilnockie Tower Reiver Centre

GilnockieTower, home to the Clan Armstrong Centre. A 16th century Scots Tower House near to Canonbie on the Anglo-Scottish Border.
Now open to visitors.
www. gilnockietower. co. uk

Gilnockie Tower sometimes referred to as Hollow’s Tower is a typical SCOTTISH TOWER HOUSE, (Scottish Tower houses began to appear in the Middle ages, around 5th century to the 15 /16th century), especially in hilly or areas that had restricted access, so that the local Laird had charge of his land, and was able to protect tactical areas of his lands with a compact force of retained men. Running parallel to that, they were an abode or residence for what are commonly known as a Laird!
This particular building has a unique Fire Beacon Lantern stance feature built onto the top of the southern gable. Beacons were commonly used as warning signals, that informed the neighbouring tower that something had gone wrong, or something was about to go wrong! There is as far as we can establish, beacons stretching both west and east as far as Hume Castle in Berwickshire. The beacons were commonly used on the English side of the Border as well.