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In the Church yard Stands a tower of an extraordinary construction. South-west from the Kirktown
there is a hill called Castle-law. Dr. Jamieson says Although the round tower of Abernethy has
attracted the attention of many travellers and writers and been the subject of various hypothesis no one
has ever thought of viewing it as connected with the royal residence; as it was undoubtedly used for
one ecclesiastical purpose. That good humoured old writer, Adamson assigns a Singular
reason for the erection of this building while he seems not to have known that there was another
of the same description at Brechin Considerably higher than this. He pretends that this was built
by the Picts to prevent the Scots from trampling on the body of their King after his death.
This tower is hollow, but without any staircase. At the bottom are two rows of stones, projecting as a sort of
pedestal. It is 75 feet in height, and consists of 64 regular courses of hewn stones. At the base it measures 48
feet in circumference, but diminishes somewhat towards the top; the thickness of the wall being 3½ feet at the
bottom, and 3 at the top. It has only one door, facing the North; 8 feet in height, 3 wide, and arched. Towards
the top are four windows; they are equidistant; 5 feet 9 inches in height, and 2 feet 2 inches in breadth; each being
supported by two small pillars. Some intelligent visitors assert, that, whatever may have been the original design of
this work, it has at one time been used as a cemetery. Where the earth has been dug up, to the depth of three feet,
number of human bones have been found in the exact position in which they must have been interred; which, it is
emerged, would not have been the case, had they been thrown in from the adjoining ground. It stands at the corner
of the present churchyard. 'South west from the town,' we are told in the 'Statistical Account,' there is a hill, called
Castle Law. Tradition says that there was a fort upon the top of it.' This, it is subjoined, probably served for one of
those watch-towers on which the Picts used to kindle fires, on sudden invasions, insurrections, or the approach of the enemy.
But if any place bids fair to have been the site of a royal residence, this seems to have a principal claim.