Drumlanrig's Tower
Drumlanrig's Tower is
Hawick's oldest building and is one of the
more important pieces of military and architectural history in the
area. It was originally a 16th century stone L-plan tower house,
founded by the Douglases of Drumlanrig. For many centuries the
border land between England and Scotland was almost constantly a
place where the two sides fought and contested their rights to own
it. This tower played a significant role as a lookout and point of
defence and has a rich history. Of three storeys and a garret, the
basement in the main block was vaulted and the hall stood on the
first floor. Standing inside a late 12th or early 13th century
ditch, at least two splayed gun-loops guarded the entrance in the
re-entrant angle.
When the Earl of Surrey, Thomas Howard,
invaded in 1570 his army laid waste to the town and the wider
region, as they advanced through the Teviot Valley. To prevent the
towns occupation by the English, the inhabitants themselves removed
everything of worth and set fire to their thatch in the street. The
entire town was consumed by flame, with the sole exception of the
"Black Tower" as it was after called.
In 1701-2 the
Queensberry family extended and reconstructed the tower, when they
infilled the angle to square off the block but much of the original
L-plan layout still survives. Anne, first First Duchess of Buccleuch,
wife of the executed Duke of Monmouth, took up residence in the
Castle and had the central courtyard filled in to make a square
plan.
In 1769, the castle was renovated once more and became
a popular Coaching Inn on busy Edinburgh to Carlisle road. The
Edinburgh to Carlisle stagecoach changed horses at Hawick, and the
stables were located through the arch just visible in extreme left
of photo. The stagecoach service was operated by the firm of Croalls,
with John Croall becoming one of the largest and last stage coach
operators in Scotland, prior to his death in 1873, when the final
express stagecoach services in Scotland ended. The firm of Croall
Bryson continued to operate a garage from the old stables until the
nineteen eighties, while the hotel became part of the North British
Hotels chain. It
remained the Tower Hotel for over 200 years until 1985 when it was
bought by Roxburgh District Council.
Now a large comfortable
town house, owned by Scottish Borders Council, the floors in the
wing match those in the main block and both are reached via a
corridor from the spiral stair, Drumlanrig's Tower is a beautifully
restored building which uses period rooms, figures and audiovisuals
to explain the turbulent past of the town and the tower.
Drumlanrig's Tower houses the local Tourist Information centre, as
well as exhibits on on the town, its History, and the Knitwear
Industry, with a new exhibit showcasing the best of the work of the
Towns Mills. After being renovated during the £10 million Heart of
Hawick regeneration project, It has been renamed the "Border Textile
Towerhouse" and tells the story behind some of the worlds most
famous fashions as well as hosting events and supporting many
projects incorporating fashion and textiles. The tower is open all
year round and admission is free.
Any contributions to this item will be
gratefully accepted
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