Barnhills Tower
This tower was founded by the Turnbulls in the 16th century, Barnhills Tower is overlooked by Fatlips Castle. An oblong stone tower-house, now reduced to the lowest storey, it stands on the southern extremity of the parish on the high North bank of the Craigend Burn. It measures 10m from North to South, by 7m from east to West. With the walls averaging 1.5 m in thickness and rising to a maximum height of 5m. The walls are built of rubble masonry, mostly of freestone and the remaining windows have chamfered freestone dressings. A rough opening in the East wall indicates the position of the entrance and beyond these three steps lead down to the ground floor. On the left of the entrance can be traced the remains of a short, straight, flight of steps, running southwards within the thickness of the wall, to the South East angle where a newel staircase has risen to the upper floors.
The ground floor is a single barrel-vaulted compartment, the North half of its vault still being complete. It has been lit mainly from two small windows, facing West, which rise upwards through the haunch of the vault, the top of their breasts being stepped to admit maximum light to enter. Between these windows is a single gun-loop, each gable contains another. The remains of the floor above are scanty and inaccessible. The fabric was repaired some years ago, but since has been overgrown by vegetation.
RCAHMS 1956, visited 1933
The remains of this tower-house are as described by RCAHMS, although some features then noted are now obscured by rank vegetation. RCAHMS visited (RM/JRS) 29th September 1993.
Some History of the Tower
From 1531: Hector Turnbull held the land on which the tower stands.
In 1545: the English army commanded by the Earl of Hereford burnt Barnhills Tower (or Barne Helles as it was also known) during the hostilities later referred to as ‘The Rough Wooing’ by King Henry VIII against Scotland.
In 1548-9: the tower was repaired and was one of the Border towers appointed to watch the fords of the river Teviot
for further English advances into Scotland.
In 1604: Hector Turnbull of Barnhills, along with others from his family, were accused of cruelty in slaughtering several men. He refused to answer the charges made against him, so was therefore denounced as a rebel.
Hector became quite notorious as a Border outlaw, but over time found his raids across the border increasingly restricted by the captain and Governor of Bewcastle. When his men were repeatedly met with resistance and were constantly been driven back across the border, he devised a plan to rid himself of the Governor. He led a vicious and particularly savage raid into Cumberland, knowing that there would be reprisals by the Governor and his men. As they made their escape with their plunder, they were quickly overtaken by the Governor’s men who were riding hard to cut them off before they reached the safety of Turnbull’s tower. Hector was forced to flee on foot over ground that the riders were unable to follow him on. However, the Governor released his bloodhounds who were closing fast on him. Isolated from his men he knew he would not make the safety of his tower before the hounds were upon him. He decided to cut this arm and leave a pool of blood to throw the hounds off his scent. This worked delaying the hounds long enough to allow Turnbull to get through the tower gates just before the Governor’s men were attempting to ride him down. Hector had given orders that the gate was not to be shut, it was to be kept open allowing their pursuers access to the courtyard beyond the tower. On riding in the Governor was convinced they had now captured the outlaws, instead behind them they found the gate closed and locked preventing their escape. Hector’s plan had succeeded, by this time he had climbed the tower and was looking down into the courtyard below. Encouraged by Hector his men started taking pot shots with their bows at the Governor’s men, this soon turns nasty as the Governor’s men could not defend themselves. As the last man falls to his knees, they are set upon by Turnbull’s men, using swords and dirks to complete their slaughter. Their captives pleaded for their lives but each in turn was despatched without mercy.
The Turnbulls held the lands until they were bought outright by William Bennet of Chesters in 1628. The lands were finally sold to Gilbert Elliot, Lord Minto in 1797.