Robgill Tour is a tour hoose near Ecclefechan in the historical coonty o Dumfriesshire in Dumfries an Gallowa in Scotland on the baunks o the Kirtle Watter. It wis ane o a nummer o tours built alang the mairch as pertection again incursions bi the Breetish.[1]

The 16t century Robgill Tour, syne stendit, ruistit on a hill leukin ower the Kirtle Watter

The tour wis awnt for centurys bi Clan Irvine, spelt as Irving an aw, bit a report fae 1834 shaws that it was awnt bi James Smail bi that time. He hid acquire'd it fae Sir Emelius Iriving.[2]

Etymology eedit

The name is fae the Auld English personal name Hreodbeorht (modren name: Rabert) an the Auld Norse gil(gill). The name wis recordit as Redbeilgill in 1125.

History eedit

The tour wis likely built aroond 1540 bi the Irvine faimily that awnt Bonshaw Tour, bit some writs shaw that it wis built in 1430. Robgill Tour wis the "blue-prent for Bonshaw Tour" (that is 1,320 yaird awa) that wis built in the same era.[3]

Robgill Tour wis muckle modified in the 19t century. It hs been leetit as a Category B biggin syne 1971. The leetin shawed that the structur - "a middlin-sized big hoose ... wi a crenellatit reteenin waw" - wis buil in several phases maistly in the late 18t an early 19t century, awthou the kirnel wis a 16t century tour.[4]

A subsequent report at the time shawed that the war a "fine stable block dating from the later 19th C. and a sizeable walled garden with a large glasshouse. The stable block has gained a swimming pool and there is a large indoor equestrian area.". The stable block is Category B leetit an aw[5][6], as is the Gate Lodge an Gate Piers. The Wawed Gairden is Category C leetit.[7]

An 1889 beuk aboot the airchitectur o Scotland states that aboot 10 year earlier, the tour wis modified: "willfully pulled down to the level of the hall floor" tae allou for a haw that wad connect it til the new, adjynin hoose that wis being built.[8]

A 1973 meenit o the haudin shawed that the awner wis a Mr Shaw.[9]

A 2013 prospectus provided a hantle o diagrams, photaes, an descrievins o ilk element o the houdin.[10] A 2019 meenit statit that it hid "six receptions roms, an indoor swimming pool, a games room, gym, indoor riding arena, a six-car garage, and a separate two-bedroom gate lodge". The big hoose wis recent sortit an wis said tae hae ootstaundin equestrian faceelitys.[11][12]

References eedit

  1. Border Regions
  2. [ https://books.google.ca/books?id=Msg9AAAAcAAJ&pg=PA280&dq=robgill+tower+Kirtle&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjTmp2C6qHnAhVGmuAKHVYdA34Q6AEIKTAA#v=onepage&q=robgill%20tower%20Kirtle&f=false The new statistical account of Scotland, Volume 2 page 280]
  3. "Robgill Tower". Archived frae the original on 26 Januar 2020. Retrieved 2 Apryle 2020.
  4. [ https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/200334941-robgill-tower-and-embankment-wall-dornock#.Xi2xTWhKhPY Robgill Tower and Embankment Wall]
  5. Robgill Tower, Stable Block
  6. Robgill Tower
  7. Robgill Tower, Page 8
  8. The Castellated and Domestic Architecture of Scotland from the ..., Volume 3
  9. "Robgill Tower". Archived frae the original on 26 Januar 2020. Retrieved 2 Apryle 2020.
  10. Robgill Tower
  11. [1]
  12. "Robgill Tower, Kirtlebridge, Lockerbie, Dumfries and Galloway, DG11". Archived frae the original on 21 December 2019. Retrieved 2 Apryle 2020.

Coordinates: 55°2′1″N 3°10′39″W / 55.03361°N 3.17750°W / 55.03361; -3.17750