roxburgh-1956-vol-2/-05_068

Transcription

No. 571 -- MELROSE PARISH -- No. 572

NE. of Colmslie Tower and 600 yds. NNE. of Hill-
slap Tower, all three lying in a secluded valley amid
the uplands near the Berwickshire border. From its
W. side extends a large walled garden now partly
wilderness. The building clearly shows two periods
of construction. Its earlier portion, lying to the W.
and abutting on the garden, dates from the late 16th
century and is now fragmentary, while the E. part,
an addition of the 17th century, is in better case.
The original house (Fig. 409) was L-shaped on plan
with the re-entrant angle open to the SE. It con-
tained a vaulted ground-floor and at least two upper
storeys, the latter entered from a newel-staircase rising
within the wall-thickness of the re-entrant. Today,
only the NW. angle and the diametrically opposite SE.
angle of the main block stand to any considerable

[illustration inserted]
Fig. 409. Langshaw Tower (No. 571).

height, while the interior is filled with debris covered
with vegetation. The main block has measured
43 ft. 8 in. N. to S. by 21 ft. 8 in. from E. to W.
The wing, which extends in alinement with the N.
gable of the main block, measures 18 ft. 7 in. from
E. to W. and 21 ft. 10 in. from N. to S. The walls
are of uncoursed whin-rubble bedded in clay-mortar
and built without quoins. The upper windows have
had freestone dressings wrought with a quirked
edge-roll. A single oval gun-loop faces E. into the
re-entrant angle.
The 17th-century addition is an oblong block two
storeys and an attic in height, extending E. from the
wing, the junction between the old and new work
being masked on the N. side by a round stair-tower.
The addition measures 21 ft. 10 in. from N. to S.
by 25 ft. from E. to W. and contains a single un-
vaulted room on each floor, the lowest one being the
kitchen. This was entered from the S. through the
present doorway, which has been rebuilt, but at first
the kitchen could also be entered from the N.
through a doorway within the stair-tower, subse-
quently built up. The kitchen has a single large
window to the S. The fireplace is in the E. gable,
and is provided with an oven on one side and a press
on the other. The N. wall contains a sink and a
cupboard in addition to the built-up entrance.
The room on the first floor, which evidently com-
municated with the earlier part of the house, has a
fireplace with a quirked edge-roll on its jambs and
lintel, and a close garderobe, both in the E. gable.
It was lit by two large windows facing S. The attic
floor was lit by dormer windows looking S. and had
a fireplace in the E. gable.
Originally the property of Melrose Abbey, in
1586-7 Langshaw was held in feu by George Hop-
pringle or Pringle.1 In 1606 James Hoppringill of
Wodhous, late of Whitbank, and James, his son and
heir, sold the town and lands of Langshaw to Sir
Gideon Murray of Elibank and Lady Margaret
Pentland, his wife.2 Three years later John, Earl of
Haddington received a charter to the abbey pro-
perties including Langshaw with its mill.3 In 1617
Sir Patrick Murray of Langschaw, knight, son and
heir of Sir Gideon Murray of Elibank, received a
charter to the lands and " lie Maynes de Langschaw "
which John, Earl of Haddington had resigned.4 In
the following year a charter was granted to Sir
Gideon Murray and Lady Margaret Pentland.5 In
1619 Sir Gideon and Sir Patrick sold the place to
Elizabeth Dundas of Arniston, the prospective second
wife of the latter.6 The earlier part of the tower was
probably built by a Pringle, the Murrays being
responsible for the addition. It was occupied until
the 18th century, when part of it was used as a school
for the village of Langshaw Mill.7
516397 -- N iv. -- 15 June 1933.

572. Colmslie Tower. This ruinous 16th-
century tower stands on the right bank of Allan
Water at the E. end of the steading of Colmslie farm.
Oblong on plan, it measures externally 27 ft. 10 in.
from N. to S. by 41 ft. 6 in. from E. to W. and it has
been at least three storeys in height. The lowest
floor, which does not seem to have been vaulted, is
inaccessible, being full of debris. No openings are
traceable at this level. The entrance must therefore
have been upon the floor above, facing N., although
its position cannot be identified precisely as the N.
wall of the tower has been breached. Its lintel,
however, has been preserved, having been inserted
above the entrance to the modern farmhouse close
by. This lintel bears an armorial panel on which the
shield is charged : Within a bordure, a stag's head
couped. Beneath the shield are the initials W C as
well as two sprays of foliage. The lintel appears to
be rather later in date than the tower, into which it
may have been inserted at some date later than 1594
(see infra). The cubical sundial bearing the initials
J M and inserted below this lintel is not earlier than
the 18th century.

1 Melrose Regality Records, S.H.S., iii, p. xliv.
2 R.M.S., 1593-1608, No. 1750.
3 Ibid., 1609-20, No. 139.
4 Ibid., No. 1673.
5 Ibid., No. 1854.
6 Ibid., No. 1960.
7 T.H.A.S., 1902, 45.

-- 293

  Transcribers who have contributed to this page.

Douglas Montgomery

  Location information for this page.