Lochwood Tower facts for kids
Lochwood Tower, also known as Lochwood Castle, is a ruined old tower house from the 1500s. It's located about 6 miles south of Moffat, in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. This special type of castle is called an L-plan tower house because it's shaped like the letter 'L'.
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History of Lochwood Tower
The Johnstone Family's Stronghold
The Johnstone family owned Lochwood Tower starting in the 1300s. It was their main and most important castle. Over time, the family gained important titles. In 1643, they became the Earls of Hartfell. Later, in 1660, they were known as the Earls of Annandale. The second Earl of Annandale then became the Marquess of Annandale in 1701.
English Capture During the Rough Wooing
In 1547, during a conflict known as the Rough Wooing, the English army took control of the tower. They held it for three years, until 1550. The English described it as a "fair large tower," meaning it was big and strong. It could house all their soldiers safely. It also had a barmkin (an outer defensive wall), a hall, a kitchen, and stables, all protected within the barmkin.
A Surprise Attack on Lochwood
Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset, who was the English commander, wrote about how they captured the tower. His soldiers arrived very early in the morning, before sunrise. Most of them hid outside the barmkin wall. About a dozen men quietly climbed over the wall and snuck into a building inside the barmkin. They found some people there and kept them safe until daylight.
At sunrise, two men and a woman were inside the main tower. One of the men woke up, went to the top of the tower, and saw nothing suspicious. He called to the woman in the tower and told her to open the tower door. As she opened the heavy iron door and a wooden door outside it, the English soldiers inside the barmkin moved too soon. The woman saw them and quickly jumped back into the tower. She almost managed to shut the wooden door, but one of the English soldiers grabbed it, stopping her from closing it completely.
This started a small fight. The English soldiers quickly scaled the barmkin wall and forced open the wooden door. Because the woman was busy trying to close the wooden door, she left the iron door open. This allowed the English soldiers to enter and capture Lochwood Tower. Inside, they found the castle well-stocked with salted beef, malt, barley, oatmeal, butter, and cheese.
Later Events and Abandonment
In 1585, the Maxwells and Armstrongs attacked and burned Lochwood Tower. However, it was rebuilt. On October 11, 1592, King James VI of Scotland and Ludovic Stewart, 2nd Duke of Lennox even stayed there. Sadly, the castle was left empty and abandoned around 1724.
Structure of Lochwood Tower
Castle Foundations and Remains
Lochwood Tower was built on a motte-and-bailey site. This means it was first a castle built on a raised earth mound (the motte) with a courtyard (the bailey) below. Later, a stone castle was built on top of these older foundations. The tower stands on the east side of a piece of land that sticks out into a marshy area.
The tower itself was once a very strong castle. Today, not much remains above the level of the vaulted basement. There used to be a courtyard surrounded by a wall, which held the kitchen and other buildings.
Inside the Tower
The main hall would have been on the first floor of the main part of the tower. Private rooms were located above the hall. The entrance to the tower was in the wing (the 'L' part of the castle). This entrance led to a wide turnpike stair, which is a spiral staircase.
Surrounding Earthworks
To the north of the tower, there was a small hill called 'The Mount'. This hill seemed partly man-made. It was a circular mound with two terraces and defensive banks. It appears to have been a Norman castle mound that existed before the stone tower was built.
To the south of the tower, in the middle of what was probably the castle garden, there was another man-made-looking earthen mound. It was about 9 feet high and 36 to 40 feet wide at its base, surrounded by a ditch.
