Fatlips Castle
You can see the Turnbull stronghold of
Fatlips for miles around as it occupies a strong defensive position on the
wooded top of Minto crags high above the river Teviot.
Fatlips has been recently had a £200,000
renovation to preserve it for the public and can be visited by obtaining the
key from Thomas Oliver’s garage in Denholm for a £10 deposit - £5 of which is
returnable, the other fiver going towards the upkeep of the tower, which was
built in the 16th century by the reiving family the Turnbulls of
Barnhills.
The Turnbull name is said to have come
about when a William Rule saved the King Robert the Bruce by wrestling a bull
that was charging him to the ground with his bare hands. That not only earned
him the name ‘Turnebull’ but also gained him lands at Philliphaugh in Selkirk,
which may or may not be true. But it’s a cracking story.
What is indisputable is that the Turnbulls
(or Trumbles, as they often occur in the records) were a real handful and
powerful enough to engage in a feud with Cessford in 1595 while Buccleuch had
to intervene to try and get them to return some nags to the Grahams around the
same time.
Thomas Turnbull, Thomas Turnbull younger
laird of Minto, and Percy Turnbull of Stonyletche appeared in a bill of 1601
for their reiving activities.
