Repentance Tower facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Repentance Tower |
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| Near Annan, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland UK |
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Repentance Tower
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 Repentance Tower
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| Coordinates | 55°02′15″N 3°19′23″W / 55.037563°N 3.322951°W |
| Type | Watch Tower |
| Height | 30 feet to parapet walk |
| Site information | |
| Owner | Private |
| Controlled by | Maxwell Clan |
| Open to the public |
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| Condition | Preserved |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1565 |
| Built by | John Maxwell |
| In use | Until the union of the crowns |
| Materials | Sandstone |
The Repentance Tower is a special old building from the mid-1500s. It stands on Trailtrow Hill, about six miles north-west of Annan in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. John Maxwell built this tower in 1565. Its name comes from the word Repentance carved into the stone above the main door. This tower is a rare example of a watch tower from that time.
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History of the Tower
The Repentance Tower was first owned by the Maxwell family. Around 1627, the sixth Lord Herries sold it. He also sold Hoddom Castle, which was nearby. Sir Richard Murray of Cockpool Castle bought both the tower and the castle.
Later, in 1690, John Sharpe bought the tower and the land. His family owned it until 1878. The famous writer Thomas Carlyle and his brother lived on a nearby farm for several years. They knew the watch tower well and enjoyed the views from Trailtrow Hill.
How the Tower Was Built
John Maxwell, the 4th Lord Herries, built the Repentance Tower. He had also built Hoddom Castle nearby. For his castle, he used stones from an old chapel that used to be on Trailtrow Hill. Some people believe that Alexander Gordon, who was the Archbishop of Glasgow, made Maxwell build the watch tower as a way to make up for taking the chapel stones.
The tower is surrounded by old gravestones. These gravestones are from the former chapel. The tower is almost square and is about the size of a small fortress. It has three floors. At the very top, there is a stone beacon. This beacon looks like a chimney. It was used to light a watch-fire.
The top of the tower has a walkway and a low wall called a parapet. The roof was flat and covered with stone slabs. The tower has small windows and holes for guns. The entrance is on the first floor. Today, there are stone steps to reach it. But long ago, people used a wooden ladder that could be pulled up.
Above the main door, the word 'REPENTANCE' is carved in old-style writing. A bird and a scroll are on either side of the word. The stone with the carving is smaller than the door's width. This suggests it might have been an old stone from the chapel. The basement and top floors have arched ceilings. A wooden ladder was used to get to the other floors. The top floor also had a small fireplace.
The tower was attacked and damaged by the English in 1570. But it was repaired by 1579. In 1579, Lord Herries wrote to King James VI. He said the watch tower needed fixing after the English army damaged it a little.
Trailtrow Hill is shaped like a cone and is about 350 feet high. From the top, you can see the Solway Firth and the hills of Cumberland. A small road led to the tower and chapel. This road started near Hoddom Mains and went through to Trailtrow Farm.
Why the Tower Was Used
The Repentance Tower was not built as a home. It only had one small fireplace. Its main job was to be a high, safe place for guards. These guards would watch the land around them. They looked out for English invaders or raiding parties coming from the Border area or across the Solway Firth.
If enemies were spotted, the guards would use a bell and a beacon fire. These signals would warn the Scottish people that an invasion was happening. Bishop Pococke wrote that a man named Maxwell built it. He said Maxwell had caused a lot of trouble for Queen Mary. But then Maxwell became a Catholic. He built the tower as a beacon and put "Repentance" over the door.
In the 1700s, the top floor of the tower was changed. It became a doocot, which is a dovecote or a home for doves.
The Repentance Tower was used again during the Second World War. A group of local soldiers, called the Annan Home Guard, stayed there. Their job was to watch the Solway for enemy invasion forces. If they saw anything, they had orders to light the signal beacon on the roof. Two soldiers would then cycle to Hoddom Castle to tell the regular army. Two others would cycle to Chapelcross airfield to raise the alarm there. After that, the cyclists were to return to the tower. They would then hold the road past the tower to Hoddom bridge until help arrived. They had six rifles and some homemade bombs.
How the Signals Worked
The beacon in the fire pan was kept burning. This was a signal that English troops were still in Scotland. The bell was rung when English soldiers were seen crossing the River Annan. The bell and beacon also warned the Scots to hide. If they didn't, they might be seen as traitors. Some sources say the beacon was on the ground near the tower. Others say the bell was hung on the very top of the roof.
What Does "Repentance" Mean?
There are a few ideas about why the tower is called 'Repentance Tower'. One idea is that it was built to make up for taking stones from Trailtrow Chapel. As mentioned, Bishop Pococke thought it was built by a Maxwell who changed his ways.
Another story is about John Maxwell. At one point, the English had taken over Dumfriesshire. John Maxwell promised not to fight them. If he broke his promise, fourteen Scots held at Carlisle Castle would be killed. Maxwell later broke his promise, and the hostages were executed. It is thought that he built the tower as an act of repentance. It was also a monument to those who had died. The stone with the 'Repentance' carving is shorter than the door. This makes people think it might have been reused from the old chapel.
Images for kids
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The Repentance Tower on Trailtrow Hill.
