Aikwood Tower

Aikwood Tower sits on a hill near the right bank of the Ettrick Water, roughly six kilometres southwest of Selkirk (coordinates 55.524611111111 N, 2.9201944444444 W). The structure reads as a traditional Scottish tower house, sometimes called a peel tower, with recorded ground-plan dimensions of about 11.6 by 7.2 metres. Descriptions of its vertical development vary: the building is described as having three storeys in one account and as rising to more than four storeys with an additional attic in another.

The walls are built of rubble masonry, and over the centuries apertures and other openings have been cut into that fabric. The gable ends are finished with stepped, or crow-stepped, profiles, a visible feature of the roofline. A stone lintel bearing the date 1602 is now incorporated into the second-floor wall, providing a clear chronological marker in the standing fabric. Openings and other alterations record intermittent modification and reuse through time, including the period when the building served as a farm store.

Today the tower stands restored and renovated, work completed in the late 20th century and with a significant renovation carried out in 1992. The masonry, crow-stepped gables, and the dated lintel remain in situ as visible elements of the building’s historic fabric. The protected status of the structure as a Category A listed building reflects its survival and the conservation work undertaken in the modern period. The site contains a permanent exhibition devoted to James Hogg and continues in private ownership.