Greenknowe Tower

The new edition of the Historic Scotland Members' Guide arrived recently so, chores completed (or well enough) we took off to the Borders to see Greenknowe Tower.

I remembered passing a tower between Earlston and Gordon when on a test-drive for my Seat Leon, several years ago but have never sought to visit. More information may be found here. 

Today the tower was fenced-off, to prevent injury from falling masonry, so all my photographs of it are dominated by fencing, apart from the detail of the C16 lintel in the extra. Details of the iron gate (or yett, below the lintel) and the corbelled angle-turrets mentioned in the text are also evident. Some of my photos were spoiled by tree shadows, but we can't complain about blue sky and sunshine, can we?

The setting is pleasant, on rising ground among mature trees and celandines flowering profusely, though the area towards the road a little boggy beside the good path.

Clearly, there was little to be gained by staying long so we continued to Kelso for coffee and a wander before pootling home, admiring the new lambs in the fields along the way.