Smailholm Tower

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Smailholm is probably the classic Scottish pele tower.
Made famous as an inspiration to the novelist Sir Walter Scott, the former Pringle stronghold is perched on a rocky outcrop five miles west of Kelso and now belongs to Historic Scotland.
The Pringles (originally Hoppringle) were one of the clans of East Teviotdale that signed a bond of manrent to serve Archibald Douglas, 8th Earl of Angus, in 1576 along with the Taits, Davisons, Youngs, Burns and a Dalgliesh. In the same year they raided a man called Rugley with Sir John Kerr and in 1597 the Pringles were raiding the Ords – including John Ord, the mayor of Berwick – and lifting four score sheep among other plunder.
The family were also implicated in the notorious murder of Sir Walter Scott of Branxholme on Edinburgh High Street in 1552 as accomplices of the Kerrs and Humes.
Smailholm is open from the 1st of April to the 30th of September, from Monday to Sunday, 9.30am to 5.30pm with last entry at 5pm, where you can see spectacular views from the battlements and the superbly preserved interior.

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