Mangerton Tower facts for kids
Mangerton Tower is the remains of an old Scottish tower house. It used to belong to a powerful family called the Armstrongs.
You can find Mangerton Tower in a place called Mangerton, near Newcastleton in Roxburghshire. It's very close to the border between Scotland and England, right by the Liddel Water river.
Contents
History of Mangerton Tower
Early Attacks on the Tower
In 1543, an English commander named Ralph Eure attacked and burned the tower. This was his way of getting back at the Armstrongs for causing trouble in an area called Tynedale.
In March 1569, Regent Moray, a powerful Scottish leader, visited Liddesdale. He wanted to bring order to the border areas. He brought 4,000 men with him, including other important leaders like Lord Home.
Moray tried to talk with the local leaders, but they couldn't agree. So, he decided to burn down all the farmhouses in Liddesdale. He made sure no house was left standing. He even stayed at Mangerton Tower before having it blown up with gunpowder. After that, he went back to Jedburgh. However, he couldn't capture the leader of the Armstrongs of Mangerton.
The Tower and King James VI
In 1592, the leader of Mangerton helped a rebel named Francis Stewart, 5th Earl of Bothwell. Because of this, King James VI went to Jedburgh. He planned to punish those who supported Bothwell and destroy their homes, including Mangerton Tower.
Another Armstrong family home, Whithaugh, was also targeted. The Duke of Lennox started to tear down Whithaugh. But he stopped when its owner agreed to obey the king. The Armstrong leader of Mangerton also made peace with the king, so his tower was saved that time.
Later Raids and Destruction
In September 1601, an English border official named Lord Scrope attacked Mangerton. He "laid waste" to the tower. This was in return for raids by the Armstrongs into England. Lord Scrope wrote to King James VI, explaining that he had captured 16 well-known "rievers" (raiders) at the "stone house of Mangerton."
Today, only a small part of the ground floor of Mangerton Tower remains. You can still see a stone panel there. It has a coat of arms and the date 1563, with the letters "SA" and "E." Some people think the date might be 1583, with "SA" and "FF."
The Armstrong Family
The Armstrongs were a well-known family in the borderlands. They often had a mix of legal and illegal activities.
Famous Armstrongs
Johnnie Armstrong was a brother of Thomas Armstrong, who was the Laird (owner) of Mangerton. Johnnie was a famous outlaw. He was captured and hanged by James V of Scotland in 1530 at Caerlanrig.
Mungo Armstrong worked as a spy for an English border officer, Thomas Wharton. In 1540, he brought a special song from Edinburgh to Carlisle for Wharton.
In 1541, Archibald Armstrong, the young leader of Mangerton, and his servant John Grey, went into England. They were with others and burned the crops of William Carnaby.
Family Connections
In 1583, an English official named Thomas Musgrave made a list of many Armstrong family members. This included those from Mangerton, Whithaugh, and Langholm. The Armstrongs had family on both sides of the border between Scotland and England.
The leader of Mangerton and Christie Armstrong were held as prisoners in Edinburgh Castle in October 1588. In 1591, the leader was told to hand over John Jokke Armstrong as a promise for the good behavior of the "gang of Mangertoun."
Archibald Armstrong, who was a court jester for James VI and I, was related to the Mangerton family. In 1617, Archibald Armstrong helped his Scottish relative, John of the Syde, an Armstrong from Mangerton. He got him a yearly payment from the king.
