Barns Tower
Barns Tower Details
Barns Tower, restored C16 tower of modest size built by the Burnets, available for let
- Closest To: Peebles
- Access: No Access
- Grid Reference: NT215391
Barns Tower is a restored tower house of the 16th century set on private grounds on level ground overlooking the Tweed valley to the north-east a short distance upstream of Peebles. It cannot be seen from the public roads, but is available to let for holiday accommodation.
The lands associated with Barns Tower, Caverhill, were the possession of a family who took their name from their principal manor, and in the mid 15th century the heiress Marion married John Burnet of Burnetland. Barns appears as the designation of William Burnet their grandson in 1545, and the Burnets remains the landholders into the 18th century, although they suffered considerable financial issues in the 17th century when their lands were heavily wadset (mortgaged) and their creditors took them over for a while to redeem some of the money owed. In the 1770s the Burnets built a new house, and converted the tower to be used by servants.
The tower was built in the time of William Burnet, the third to be known as “of Barns” and often referred to as “The Hoolet”. His initials, together with those of his wife Margaret Stewart, appear on the stone of the hall window lintel. The entrance to the tower is on the ground floor on the west side, which accesses the vaulted basement and a few winders lead to a mural stair in the north gable leading up to the first floor, with the hall lit by three windows and a fireplace in the south gable (although this is a later insertion as it stands). Above the first mural stair, another leads to the second floor, which contained the chambers of the laird (including a garderobe in the NW corner), and a small fireplace at each gable. Above this was a small attic.
In 1838 the Burnet family had to sell the estate, and at this point the tower was abandoned. Although it was kept weathertight, the tower became overgrown with ivy and the roof was reworked at some point. Early in the 21st century, the tower was renovated entirely, including a complete rebuilt of the roof and chimneys – although the old timber appears to have been retained to rebuilt the roof.