Photographs of Smailholm Tower

Click on an image to see the full picture

Smailholm Tower is a 15th century stone peel or tower house of four storeys and a garret, built by the Pringle family. The plain rectangular tower, with the foundations of an outer hall, a chamber and a kitchen stand within a tall barmkin or courtyard wall, once entered through a stout gateway. The arched entrance into the tower house is well defended, with an outer door, an inner yett or metal gate and an inverted-keyhole gun-loop directly above. A spiral stair close to the door, gives access to all floors, with a vaulted third floor hall and a vaulted roof in the garret.
It was designed, in common with all Scottish peel towers, to provide its occupants with protection from sporadic English raids. The tower was attacked by English soldiers in 1543, 1544 and 1546. The castle was successfully defended against the English in 1640 and the gun-loop in the west gable and two short stretches of wall-walk and parapet to the north and south are 17th century alterations.
In 1645 it was sold to the Scotts of Harden and it was well known to Sir Walter Scott who came here regularly to visit his grandfather.