Bandon Tower

Bandon Tower is a ruined tower house of 16th century date which sits in a field that occupies a ridge to the north of Glenrothes. It occupies the centre of a small low mound that is surrounded by a largely ploughed out ditch; a possible outer enclosure delineated by cropmarks extends to the east.

The tower house survives as one wall with parts of the gables only – these and the southern wall have fallen. At the north-western corner is the remnant of a small round tower, perhaps part of a small towered barmkin that was separate from the tower. The wall stands to its full height, with projecting corbels surviving. At first floor level is a rectangular opening that was a window; this is the only opening in the north wall, although there seem to be at least three small rectangular openings that have been blocked up. Inside, there is a great fireplace midway down the wall at first floor level, another further to the west, and one at second floor level; a third floor fireplace seems to have fallen out leaving a gaping scar on the inside. The basement was lit by a tiny slit window in the east gable, but nothing else can really be gleaned from the ruin.

More can be said by looking at MacGibbon and Ross’ description of the mid 19th century. Their plan shows that the east gable contained a fireplace at ground floor level, and a winding stair in the south-east corner which led to the first floor, and highlights that by that date there were already two large gaps in the southern wall, one of which presumably was the location for the entrance, although their sketch suggests that it may have been in the west gable near the round tower. This sketch also shows the small window in the west gable at second floor level, and part of the roof gable at the west end surviving. In the description they suggest that the ground floor was vaulted, and assign a late 16th century date to it.

The lands of Bandon (previously known as Ballindone) were held by the Balfour family in the late 15th century. Alan Balfour is known in 1498, when he granted the estate to his son Duncan, reserving the rights of Alan’s wife Katherine to a terce. Duncan appears ain records gain in 1503, and was killed at Flodden in 1513. David Balfour of Bandon appears in 1548, Peter Balfour of Bandon in 1553, another David in 1580, and Michael Bandon in 1603. In 1630, David Balfour of Bandon is mentioned in a retour, but in 1633 Michael Balfour and his son Michael, with the permissions of their respective wives, sold it to Robert Beaton, the younger son of David Beaton of Balfour. The Beatons then maintained the property into the 18th century. Robert Beaton was followed by his son David, and by David’s son, another David in 1719. A 1720 description mentions the “old tower, and a little house join’d”. The mid 18th century Roy map shows Bandon as comprising four modest enclosed areas and two buildings, probably representing the tower to the north and a farm to the south, but it is named as being in ruins on Ainslie’s map of 1775.

HES Canmore database entry