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Coordinates: 55°54′53″N 3°10′39″W / 55.91472°N 3.17750°W / 55.91472; -3.17750
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{{Short description|Tower house in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK}}
[[Image:LibertonTower.jpg|thumb|Liberton Tower]]
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}}
'''Liberton Tower''' is a four-storey, square-plan [[tower house]] in [[Edinburgh]], [[Scotland]], situated in the suburb of [[Liberton, Scotland|Liberton]] on the east side of the [[Braid Hills]].
{{Use British English|date=December 2016}}
{{Infobox Military Structure
|name=Liberton Tower
|location=[[Edinburgh]], Scotland
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|image=Liberton Tower.JPG
|image_size=
|caption=Liberton Tower

|map_type = Edinburgh
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|type=
|built=15th century
|builder=
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'''Liberton Tower''' is a four-storey, square-plan [[tower house]] in the [[Edinburgh]] suburb of [[Liberton, Edinburgh|Liberton]], on the east side of the [[Braid Hills]].


==History==
==History==
It was originally owned by the Dalmahoy family, whose crest emblem appears on a carved panel on the south wall. Records of it being in their possession date back to 1453, but the provenance of the tower before that is not known.<ref>{{cite book|last=Campbell|first=Alexander|title=A journey from Edinburgh through parts of North Britain|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=jUAIAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA292|year=1802|page=292}}</ref>
Located in Over or Upper Liberton, it was originally owned by the Dalmahoy family, whose arms appear on a carved panel on the south wall. Records of it being in their possession date back to 1453, but the provenance of the tower before that is not known.<ref>{{cite book|last=Campbell|first=Alexander|title=A journey from Edinburgh through parts of North Britain|publisher=A. Strahan|url=https://archive.org/details/ajourneyfromedi01campgoog|year=1802|page=[https://archive.org/details/ajourneyfromedi01campgoog/page/n321 292]}}</ref>


It passed to a branch of the Forrester family of [[Corstorphine]], before being sold to the [[Provost of Edinburgh]], William Little, in 1587. Little built the nearby [[Liberton House]], and the castle was abandoned in 1610, being subsequently used for agricultural storage.
It passed to a branch of the Forrester family of [[Corstorphine]], before being sold to [[William Little (Lord Provost)|William Little]], who was [[Provost of Edinburgh]] in 1586 and 1591. Provost Little built the nearby [[Liberton House]], and the castle was abandoned in 1610, being subsequently used for agricultural storage.<ref>[https://libertonassociation.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/LA-Brochure-compressed.pdf Aboon the Kirk {{!}} Interesting places in Liberton] [part 16], The Liberton Association, 2020</ref>


Deposits of [[charcoal]] as well as smashed pottery suggest that the tower was caught up in the fighting around Edinburgh in 1650, when [[Oliver Cromwell|Cromwell]] invaded Edinburgh as part of the [[Third English Civil War]].<ref name=can/> Other evidence to this effect is the removal of the [[parapet]]s, damage to the tower and the finding of cannonballs in nearby fields.<ref name=can/>
Deposits of [[charcoal]] as well as smashed pottery suggest that the tower was caught up in the fighting around Edinburgh in 1650, when [[Oliver Cromwell|Cromwell]] invaded Edinburgh as part of the [[Anglo-Scottish war (1650–1652)|Anglo-Scottish War]].<ref name=can/> Other evidence to this effect is the removal of the [[parapet]]s, damage to the tower and the finding of cannonballs in nearby fields.<ref name=can/>


==Design==
==Design==
It is rectangular in plan, being {{convert|34|ft|9|in}} along the east-west axis and {{convert|25|ft|9|in}} along the north-south axis.<ref name="can">{{Cite web|url = http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/51743/details/edinburgh+liberton+drive+liberton+tower/|title = Edinburgh, Liberton Drive, Liberton Tower|date = |accessdate = 10 April 2015|website = |publisher = rcahms.gov.uk|last = |first = }}</ref>
Liberton Tower provides a good example of a typical noble residence of its period, one of the relatively few that were not substantially altered in later centuries.<ref name=DM>{{cite book|title=How to Read Scottish Buildings|last=MacCannell|first=Daniel|location=Edinburgh|publisher=Birlinn Ltd|page=15|year=2015}}</ref> Featureless except for its small, asymmetrically arranged windows, it is coated in distinctive yellow [[harl]]ing and has been described as "grim and ponderous".<ref name=DM/> The tower is rectangular in plan, being {{convert|34|ft|9|in}} along the east–west axis and {{convert|25|ft|9|in}} along the north–south axis.<ref name="can">{{Cite web|url = http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/51743/details/edinburgh+liberton+drive+liberton+tower/|title = Edinburgh, Liberton Drive, Liberton Tower|access-date = 10 April 2015|publisher = rcahms.gov.uk}}</ref>


The 15th century structure is well preserved and was restored in 1994. It is rented out for holiday lets.<ref name=cast>{{cite book|last=Fry|first=Plantagenet|title=Castles: England + Scotland + Ireland + Wales|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=5C-PawQ0tjcC&pg=PA154|year=2005|publisher=David & Charles|isbn=0-7153-2212-5|page=154}}</ref>
The 15th-century structure is well preserved and was restored in 1994. It is used for holiday lets.<ref name=cast>{{cite book|last=Fry|first=Plantagenet|title=Castles: England + Scotland + Ireland + Wales|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5C-PawQ0tjcC&pg=PA154|year=2005|publisher=David & Charles|isbn=0-7153-2212-5|page=154}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://libertontower.com/|title=Liberton Tower|publisher=libertontower.com|access-date=8 December 2016}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Restoration of castles in Scotland]]


==References==
==References==
===Notes===
===Notes===
{{commons category}}
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}


===Sources===
===Sources===
*{{cite book | last=Coventry | first=Martin | title=The Castles of Scotland | publisher=Birlinn | year=2006 | isbn=1-84158-449-5 }}
*{{cite book | last=Coventry | first=Martin | title=The Castles of Scotland | publisher=Birlinn | year=2006 | isbn=1-84158-449-5 }}
{{Residential buildings in Edinburgh}}

{{Defence infrastructure in Edinburgh}}
==External links==
{{commons category}}

{{coord|55|54|53|N|3|10|39|W|region:GB|display=title}}
{{coord|55|54|53|N|3|10|39|W|region:GB|display=title}}


[[Category:Castles in City of Edinburgh]]
[[Category:Castles in Edinburgh]]
[[Category:Category A listed buildings in Edinburgh]]
[[Category:Category A listed buildings in Edinburgh]]
[[Category:Listed castles in Scotland]]
[[Category:Listed castles in Scotland]]
[[Category:Tower houses in Scotland]]

Latest revision as of 17:55, 2 June 2024

Liberton Tower
Edinburgh, Scotland
Liberton Tower
Liberton Tower is located in the City of Edinburgh council area
Liberton Tower
Liberton Tower
Coordinates55°54′52″N 3°10′38″W / 55.9145774°N 3.1773502°W / 55.9145774; -3.1773502
Site history
Built15th century

Liberton Tower is a four-storey, square-plan tower house in the Edinburgh suburb of Liberton, on the east side of the Braid Hills.

History

[edit]

Located in Over or Upper Liberton, it was originally owned by the Dalmahoy family, whose arms appear on a carved panel on the south wall. Records of it being in their possession date back to 1453, but the provenance of the tower before that is not known.[1]

It passed to a branch of the Forrester family of Corstorphine, before being sold to William Little, who was Provost of Edinburgh in 1586 and 1591. Provost Little built the nearby Liberton House, and the castle was abandoned in 1610, being subsequently used for agricultural storage.[2]

Deposits of charcoal as well as smashed pottery suggest that the tower was caught up in the fighting around Edinburgh in 1650, when Cromwell invaded Edinburgh as part of the Anglo-Scottish War.[3] Other evidence to this effect is the removal of the parapets, damage to the tower and the finding of cannonballs in nearby fields.[3]

Design

[edit]

Liberton Tower provides a good example of a typical noble residence of its period, one of the relatively few that were not substantially altered in later centuries.[4] Featureless except for its small, asymmetrically arranged windows, it is coated in distinctive yellow harling and has been described as "grim and ponderous".[4] The tower is rectangular in plan, being 34 feet 9 inches (10.59 m) along the east–west axis and 25 feet 9 inches (7.85 m) along the north–south axis.[3]

The 15th-century structure is well preserved and was restored in 1994. It is used for holiday lets.[5][6]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Campbell, Alexander (1802). A journey from Edinburgh through parts of North Britain. A. Strahan. p. 292.
  2. ^ Aboon the Kirk | Interesting places in Liberton [part 16], The Liberton Association, 2020
  3. ^ a b c "Edinburgh, Liberton Drive, Liberton Tower". rcahms.gov.uk. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  4. ^ a b MacCannell, Daniel (2015). How to Read Scottish Buildings. Edinburgh: Birlinn Ltd. p. 15.
  5. ^ Fry, Plantagenet (2005). Castles: England + Scotland + Ireland + Wales. David & Charles. p. 154. ISBN 0-7153-2212-5.
  6. ^ "Liberton Tower". libertontower.com. Retrieved 8 December 2016.

Sources

[edit]

55°54′53″N 3°10′39″W / 55.91472°N 3.17750°W / 55.91472; -3.17750