Castles of Clan Armstrong

Gilnockie Tower
Gilnockie Tower, also known as Hollows Tower, was built in the early 16th century by Johnnie Armstrong, one of the most famous Border reivers. Located near Canonbie in Dumfriesshire, the tower served as a stronghold and signal point in the lawless Debatable Lands. It was attacked and burned multiple times, including by English forces in 1528, but was repeatedly rebuilt by the Armstrongs. The tower was restored in the 1970s and now houses the Clan Armstrong Centre. It is the only fully restored Armstrong tower and stands as a lasting symbol of the clan’s legacy.

Mangerton Tower
Mangerton Tower near Newcastleton in Liddesdale was the principal seat of the Armstrong chiefs. Built in the 16th century, it stood on the banks of the Liddel Water and was the headquarters of the Armstrongs of Mangerton. The tower was burned, rebuilt, and ultimately destroyed during the Crown’s suppression of the Border clans in the late 16th century. Only a portion of the base and wall remains, along with a carved stone bearing the arms of Simon Armstrong. The nearby Milnholm Cross commemorates an early Armstrong laird linked to the site.

Whithaugh Tower
Whithaugh Tower, once a powerful Armstrong stronghold, stood just north of Mangerton in Liddesdale. It was the seat of a prominent cadet branch of the clan, led by “Sim of Whithaugh.” The tower was captured by English forces in the 1580s and destroyed in the clan feuds of the late 1500s. Though now vanished, it was once among the most important Armstrong bastions. A carved lintel bearing the name survives at a nearby house.

Langholm Castle
Langholm Castle, a 16th-century peel tower in Eskdale, was long associated with the Armstrongs. Though later taken over by the Scotts of Buccleuch, the site is remembered locally as an Armstrong stronghold. In 1544, the castle was briefly occupied by an English garrison before being retaken. It played a strategic role in local defense and Border skirmishes. Only slight ruins remain today near the town of Langholm.

Castles Loosely Associated with Clan Armstrong

Hermitage Castle
Hermitage Castle in Liddesdale was never owned by the Armstrongs but played a significant role in their history. In the early 14th century, Chief Alexander Armstrong was reportedly murdered there by William de Soulis after a failed attempt at peace. According to legend, the Armstrongs stormed the castle in revenge. The massive, grim stone fortress was later used by the Douglases and Scotts to suppress Border lawlessness. Its dark history and foreboding design have made it a symbol of brutality and power.

References

Coventry, M. (2010). The Castles of Scotland (5th ed.). Musselburgh: Goblinshead.
Tabraham, C. (2005). Scotland’s Castles. London: Batsford.
Scott, W. (1833). Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border. Edinburgh: Robert Cadell.
Historic Environment Scotland. (n.d.). Castle Records and Listings.
Fraser, G. M. (1971). The Steel Bonnets: The Story of the Anglo-Scottish Border Reivers. London: HarperCollins.
Clan Armstrong Trust. (n.d.). Gilnockie Tower and Clan History. Retrieved March 27, 2025.