Tushielaw Tower

NT31NW 1 30026 17192

(NT 3003 1719) Tushielaw Tower (NR) (Remains of)

OS 6" map (1900)

NMRS REFERENCE

Tushielaw Tower and Associated Buildings. From a natural terrace on the E slope of Tushie Law this ruin looks across the valley of the Ettrick Water into that of its tributary the Rankle Burn. Dilapidation is so extensive that the remains attract little notice from the road, which runs about 150 ft below the site and just over 100 yds to the SE, but at close quarters a heap of debris about 10 ft high situated at the N end of the site is seen to be the remains of a small oblong tower measuring externally about 24 ft from N to S by 29 ft from E to W. This is the northernmost of four buildings which once enclosed an open court of irregular shape. The two that stood respectively on the W and E sides, and are now represented only by their foundations, are probably secondary, but a storehouse situated at the SE corner on the edge of the terrace seems to be contemporary with the tower, and the two are connected by a ruinous wall. This storehouse, still fairly complete up to the crown of the vault that covers the basement, is entire for nearly a third of its total length of 64 ft 6 in., while the walls in the remainder are still waist-high; its width varies from 23 ft. 9 in. at the N end to 21 ft at the S. The basement, for which alone there is evidence, is entered from the W and is lit by roughly formed slits in all four walls. There is an aumbry in the N gable. Below the vault there has been a loft.

On the E side of the court the wall of enclosure runs N in line with the E wall of the storehouse for a distance of 32 ft 6 in., and then turns W to meet an extension of the E wall of the tower. In the angle thus formed there may have been an outbuilding, although no definite evidence for this can be traced in the debris that fills the corner. To the N and E of the court and buildings there is a walled enclosure measuring about 41 yds. from N to S and 53 yds from E to W.

In 1507 James IV granted a feu charter of the forest stead and lands of "Truschelaw" to Adam Scott with the right to build a tower and fortalice. (J B Paul 1984) This laird, the "king of theivis" according to Bishop Leslie, was convicted in 1530 of "theftuously taking Black-maill", and was beheaded. (R Pitcairn 1833)

The manerium or manor of Tuschelaw is on record in 1592, (J M Thomson 1984) but in the Retours of 1633 only the lairds are mentioned. What part, if any, of the present ruin is to be referred to Adam Scott is uncertain.

RCAHMS 1957, visited 1934

Annotated as Tushielaw Tower, two unroofed buildings, one of which is T-shaped, and three enclosures partly marked by pecked lines are depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Selkirkshire 1862-3, sheet xviii). Two unroofed buildings, one unroofed circular structure and one enclosure are shown on the current edition of the OS 1:10560 map (1964).

Information from RCAHMS (SAH) 11 September 2000

EXTERNAL REFERENCE

Generally as described and planned by the RCAHMS.

Resurveyed at 1/2500.

Visited by OS (EGC) 7 April 1965