Publication Account
Date 1985
Event ID 1016185
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type Publication Account
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1016185
'Smallam-tower' (Old English smael ham, small village), is recorded in 1546 when a Sir John Ellerker attacked it It is a simple rectangular tower now set beside a one-time mill pond and rising some 17.3 m from the highest of a series of rocky outcrops. The hill gives a fine panorama to the Cheviots, the Lammennuirs, east to the Eildon Hills and west down the Merse.
Five storeys high, with walls over 2m thick, and all its windows small, the tower was primarily defensive. Both the ground and uppermost compartments are barrel-vaulted. There are only two gun-loops-one oval and one keyhole-shaped; the chutes opening out of the north wall served the closets or toilets at first and second-floor level. The top floor had been reconstructed either in the 16th or more probably 17th century; earlier the parapet walk presumably overhung the walls on all sides.
''Everie man that hath a castle or towre of stone shall, upon everie fray raysed in the night, give warning to the countrie by fire in the topps of the castle or towre" . (Laws of the Marches).
Such was required c 1570 and the structure of the present north parapet wall doubtless relates to this law-it has a watchman's seat and a recess for his lantern.
Smailholm was surrounded by a bannkin or enclosing wall, surviving to some extent on the west side where a bar-hole confinns the entrance. 'The north-west part of the enclosure held various outbuildings, rebuilt c1650 for the new owners, the Scotts of Harden.
Information from 'Exploring Scotland's Heritage: Lothian and Borders', (1985).
