Gamescleuch Tower

NT21SE 3 28427 14702.

(Name centred: NT 28571469) Gamescleuch Tower (NR) (Ruins of)

OS 6" map (1900)

Gamescleuch Tower. The tower of Gamescleuch, built by Symon Scott, second son of Sir John Scott of Thirlestane, (Nisbet 1816) stands in ruin on the left bank of Gamescleuch Burn, a tributary of Ettrick Water, and gives support to a cattle-shed recently built on its S. side.

The lowest storey is entire, but the first floor is greatly dilapidated and the second floor is in even worse case. On plan the tower includes an oblong main block, measuring externally 32 ft. 8 in. from E. to W. by 23 ft. 8 in. from N. to S.; the E. part of the N. wall projects towards the N. in alinement with the E. gable, and this projection, which contains the stair, is rectangular and measures 19 ft. from E. to W. by 3 ft. from N. to S. The masonry is of rubble; the only surviving window has freestone dressings moulded with a quirked edge-roll.

The lands of "Gammelscleugh" formed part of the estate forfeited in 1530 by Adam Scott of Tushielaw (cf. RCAHMS 1957, No. 33). In 1569-70 James VI granted a charter in feu-farm to Symon Scott in Winterburgh (J M Thomson 1984) who, as noted above, is credited with having built the tower.

RCAHMS 1957, visited 1934.

NT 2842 1469 The remains of this tower are as described by RCAHMS

Visited by OS (WDJ) 4 July 1962.

Found by Mr A Watson in Gamescleugh Tower, part of a small bore muzzle-loading cast-iron gun, which had evidently burst on firing due to a misaligned bore. The surviving piece includes the breech and trunnion lugs, and is probably 18th or 19th century. Retained by the finder.

Sponsor: Borders Regional Council.

J Dent 1994b.

Gamescleuch Castle (Ruins of) and the adjacent farmstead are depicted on the first edition OS 6-inch map (Selkirkshire 1862, sheet XVII).

Information from RCAHMS (PJD) 5 August 2008