Whittingehame Tower

Overview

Whittingehame Tower is a well-preserved 15th-century tower house located near East Linton in East Lothian, Scotland. Built as a fortified residence during a period of political unrest and local feuding, it served as the seat of the Lauder family, one of the most influential landowning families in the region. Set amidst wooded countryside overlooking the Whittingehame Water, the tower exemplifies the Scottish L-plan tower house — combining strong defence with domestic comfort.

Early history

The lands of Whittingehame were granted to the Lauder family in the 14th century, and it was likely Sir Alexander Lauder of Whittingehame who commissioned the tower in the 15th century. The Lauders were powerful figures in East Lothian and Edinburgh, holding civic and judicial offices, and their tower reflected both their status and the need for protection in a time of cross-border raids and clan rivalries. The family’s prominence is recorded throughout Scottish history, with later members playing roles in national politics and law.

Building and layout

Whittingehame Tower was constructed in the traditional Scottish L-plan form, consisting of a rectangular main block with a projecting stair-turret. Rising four storeys high and built of local rubble stone, the tower features thick walls, vaulted basements, and small slit windows for defence. The main hall occupied the first floor, while private chambers were located above. A parapet walk and corbelled turrets provided both lookout and firing positions. Later additions and adjacent buildings expanded the complex, though the tower remained the fortified core of the estate.

Later history and associations

In the 16th century, Whittingehame passed by marriage to the Douglas family, one of Scotland’s great noble houses. The tower became associated with the infamous conspiracy that led to the murder of Lord Darnley, husband of Mary, Queen of Scots, in 1567 — it was here, according to tradition, that part of the plot was discussed. By the 17th century, peace and prosperity in the region made such fortifications obsolete, and the family built Whittingehame House, a grand mansion nearby, leaving the old tower to decline.

Present condition

Today, Whittingehame Tower survives in excellent condition for its age. The main tower still stands almost to its full height, with its stair-turret, vaulted chambers, and parapet largely intact. The surrounding grounds include fragments of later estate buildings and landscaped gardens from the 18th and 19th centuries. The tower is a Category A listed building and remains in private ownership, though visible from public roads. It stands as one of the finest surviving examples of a Scottish late-medieval tower house, linking the turbulent past of the Borderlands with the grandeur of the later Whittingehame estate.