Shaw Tower

I have noticed this tower on several trips to Prestwick airport and have always wondered what it was for so I decided to do a little bit of digging and discovered that it was likely built prior to 1775 by the Laird of Shaw. He was apparently a keen falconer and it is thought that the tower was built so that he could watch the sport from the top after he became too old to follow it on horseback. It has also been referred to as Shaw Monument

The tower is approximately 50 feet high with an internal spiral staircase and a viewing platform at the top. The access door at the base was blocked up in the 1930’s due to the deterioration of the staircase. In the 1970’s the tower was extensively repaired with the costs being met by one of the local aero engineering factory owners.

There is no obvious access or footpath to the tower and it is now enclosed within two fences.