Greenknowe Tower

Greenknowe Tower is an easily accessible ruined tower house near Gordon in the Scottish Borders, with a parking space at the side of the road. It is a modest L-plan tower with the upper floors and roof missing. The entrance is on the ground floor, and although the red sandstone is eroded in places, it is clear that there was once some very high quality masonry here. It is sited on a raised platform which presumably once contained a courtyard and outbuildings, so the tower was not a standalone structure.

The tower was granted to the lairds of Gordon in the 15th century, and it was a Seton laird who erected the tower in 1581. During the Civil War the Setons of Touch supported the king, and suffered financially as a result, probably leading to their having to sell the tower to the Pringles later in the 17th century. The Pringles extended the tower and enlarged the windows before selling to the Dalrymple family who occupied the tower into the 19th century. Today the tower is a Historic Environment Scotland property, but is free to enter when open.

Official Historic Scotland page

HES Canmore database entry