Elphinstone Tower, East Lothian

Elphinstone Tower was a simple 14th-century tower of three storeys. The tower had a stone-flagged and corbelled-out parapet with prominent gargoyles and a caphouse at one corner and open rounds at the others. There was an adjoining mansion, but this and the tower have been demolished.

Sadly only a few feet of the towers walls now remain, and this is on private land.

~ History ~

1300's ~ The property had belonged to the Setons at one time, but the Elphinstone's then held the land and began the building of a tower.

1435 ~ Sir Alexander Elphinstone is killed in a raid on Piperden in Northumberland, and so the property passes through his heiress by marriage to the Johnstone's.

1545 ~ The Protestant martyr, George Wishart, is brought to the tower from nearby Ormiston, and at Elphinstone is handed over to Cardinal David Beaton, who takes Wishart back to St Andrews for trial and execution by burning the following year.

1600 ~ An adjoining mansion is built.

1633 ~ Alexander Elphinstone, Master of Elphinstone, has a ratification for the tower.

1665 ~ The mansion is demolished.

1681 ~ John Elphinstone, Lord Elphinstone, has a ratification in his favour which mentions the lands and barony of Elphinstone, including the tower and manor. The family later move to nearby Carberry Tower.

1955 ~ The tower is demolished due to subsidence from coal workings.