Coxton Tower facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Coxton Tower |
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The tower viewed from the south, May 1990
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| Type | Tower house |
| Location | Near Lhanbryde, Moray |
| Built | 1590 |
| Built for | Alexander Innes |
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Former Scheduled monument
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| Designated | 1920 |
| Delisted | 2018 |
| Reference no. | SM1228 |
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Listed Building – Category A
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| Designated | 1971 |
| Reference no. | LB15774 |
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Coxton Tower is an old, strong house built like a tower in Moray, Scotland. It was built around 1590. Even though it was built quite late, its design looks much older.
The tower has not been lived in since about 1867. The only time people stayed there was when Canadian soldiers used it during World War II. In 2001, the tower was fixed up to protect its old structure. Today, it is a very important historic building.
What is Coxton Tower?
Coxton Tower is a small, four-storey tower house. It is about 1 kilometre (0.6 miles) south of Lhanbryde in Moray, Scotland. The tower is about 7 metres (23 feet) square. It is in very good condition for such an old, empty building.
Even though it was built around 1590, its style is quite old-fashioned. Some experts have called its design "grossly antiquated." They say it looks like tower designs from the early 1400s.
Outside the Tower
The tower has a simple doorway on the ground floor. This leads to a storage room that is a bit below ground. The main entrance is on the first floor. Today, you reach it by a staircase added around 1846. Long ago, people would have used a ladder.
Above the main entrance, you can see a stone panel. It has the initials of Alexander Innes, who built the tower. It also shows the initials of Robert Innes, who was his feudal superior (like a lord). The panel also mentions Alexander Innes's two wives, Janet Reid and Kate Gordon. There used to be a courtyard and a protective wall around the tower, but they are gone now.
The tower's walls are very thick, up to 1.4 metres (4.6 feet). They are made of rough stones covered with a special plaster called harling. There are small openings called gun loops on the ground floor. These were for shooting guns out of. More gun holes are found in the round turrets (bartizans) on the corners. The roof is made of stone, not wood. This was probably to help it survive fires and attacks. The roof is very steep, with stepped gables at each end.
Inside the Tower
Each floor of Coxton Tower is one single room. The ceilings are made of stone arches called vaults. The way these vaults are built is special. They alternate directions on each floor. This helps make the building stronger.
The ground floor was a storage room. It could also protect cattle if needed. A small opening in the ceiling allowed goods to be passed up to the living areas.
The first floor was a small hall. It had a strong iron gate called a yett to keep out intruders. There is a fireplace that was added around 1820. A window on this floor shows the family crest of Sir Alexander Innes and his second wife, Mary Mackenzie. A staircase built into the thick wall leads to the upper floors.
The second floor has two windows. One is next to a small cupboard (aumbry). The third floor has a very tall vaulted ceiling. This ceiling supports the stone roof above. This floor also has openings to the turrets, which have more gun loops.
History of Coxton Tower
In 1572, King James VI gave Alexander Innes permission to build a tower house here. But his first tower was completely burned down in 1584. A new tower was built soon after, around 1590. Most of the tower you see today is from that second building. The tower needed repairs after attacks in 1635 and 1645.
The tower and its land were bought by William Duff in 1714. His family, who became the Earls and Dukes of Fife, owned it until 1910. Then, it was sold to the family of Malcolm Christie, who still own it today.
Coxton Tower has been empty since about 1867. The only exception was when Canadian soldiers stayed there during World War II.
In 1920, Coxton Tower was named a "scheduled monument." This means it's an important historical site protected by the government. In 1971, it was also listed as a "Category A listed building." This is the highest level of protection for historic buildings in Scotland.
In 2001, special workers fixed parts of the tower. They worked on the stone roof and repaired the plaster on the walls. In 2018, it was removed from the scheduled monuments list because its listed building status already protected it well.
See also
In Spanish: Torre Coxton para niños
