Trve Northern New England Black Metal
The Johnstone’s built the present tower in the 16th century when it is said it formed part of the estate of Blacklaw. Situated on high ground on the west side of the Evan valley and defended by the Mellingshaw Burn and a lesser tributary on two side, the tower had a commanding view down the valley towards Annandale. Sadly, all that remains of the tower is part of the stair wing. This contained the entrance on its north side and extended eastwards from the main tower block about 7 feet and measures 8 foot 6 inch wide. The remaining masonry is local Silurian rubble with roughly dressed quoins, but the entrance doorway, of which only the east jam remains, and two windows in the east wall have surrounds of dressed, red sandstone, with a plain chamfer on the arises. The tower window is a mere slit measuring 4.5 inches wide and 16 inches high but the upper window, which measures 1 foot 8.5 inches wide by 2 feet high, retains the sockets for an original iron grille. In the surviving jamb of the entrance doorway, there is a slot 4 inches wide and 9 inches deep presumably for fastening the drawbar. The wheel-stair, which was about 4 feet 6 inches in diameter, was contained within walls that varied in thickness from 2 feet on the south side to 2 foot 4 inch on the east side and 2 feet 8 inches at the entrance.
Without excavations it is impossible to be certain of the precise size or chape of the complete building. The position of the entrance and rubble remains suggest that the main block was about 20 feet wide and extended northwards beyond the wing for about 24 feet, such that the entrance was in the re-entrant angle of an L-plan tower-house. There is however, clear evidence of another re-entrant angle on the south side of the wing, only 5 foot 9 inches from the south-east corner, which suggests that the tower did at some period have a T-plan, perhaps after the addition of a later wing or other structure at this point. There are also remains of various outbuildings and enclosures, of indeterminate date, on the north, east and south sides of the building.
In 1662 James Johnstone, 1st Earl of Annandale, received a crown charter of the lands of Gerskine and Mellingshaw, with many others, erecting the said lands into a free barony, etc., to be called the Earldom of Annandale and Hartfell and the lands remained part of the Johnstone’s Annandale Estates until they were sold about 1965.
Mellingshaw Tower
All sketches and a vast majority of this text was sourced from Alastair Maxwell-Irving's essential work, The Border Towers of Scotland - The West March, a must read for anyone interested in the subject.
Access to Mellingshaw Tower
Access to Mellingshaw is somewhat easy. Once you turn off the B7076 and pass under the rail line, you will be presented with a Y intersection. In the 'crotch' of the Y intersection, there is just enough space to park and the left branch of the Y has a gate so I would not recommend blocking it (marked by a yellow star on the map at right). Begin your trek north up the right branch of the Y till a noticeable place where people have jumped the barbed wire fence is reached on your left. This is always easier when at least two people are present, one to push the fence down while the other straddles it. Proceed across the field and cross the Mellingshaw Burn. Those sure of foot will have no problem doing so. Up the other side of the burn and across another barbed wire fence. Then proceed north-northeast and at a point, the ruins of Mellingshaw will come into view. There is cell service so keep an eye on your map.
