Historic 15th century Dumfries and Galloway tower reopens to visitors
Orchardton Tower near Palnackie had been closed to allow masonry to be inspected.
A historic 15th century tower in Dumfries and Galloway has reopened to visitors.
Orchardton Tower near Palnackie had been closed to allow masonry to be inspected.
But Historic Environment Scotland has now completed its assessments, meaning visitors are welcome to once again explore the only free-standing round tower of its type in Scotland.
Orchardton Tower was a fortified residence for nobleman John Cairns, who it is thought built the structure around 1455 and may have acquired the land after James II's overthrow of the Douglases.
Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community!
Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today.
You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland.
No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team.
All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in!
If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'.
We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like.
To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
HES' district visitor and community manager for Dumfries and Galloway, Rosie Thorp, said: 'We're thrilled to be welcoming visitors back to Orchardton Tower, where they can delve into the history of late medieval noble life.
'Nestled in a beautiful part of the Dumfries and Galloway landscape, and the only surviving near free-standing late medieval circular tower in the country, this is a truly one-of-a-kind part of our built heritage and an asset in telling Scotland's story.'
Orchardton tower is open from 9.30am to 6.30pm Monday to Friday until the end of September, then from 9.30am to 4.30pm Saturday to Wednesday between October and March.
Entry is free.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Wales Online
an hour ago
- Wales Online
Two weeks of roadworks at iconic A470 mountain pass
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Drivers have been warned of delays as work starts on a famous A470 mountain pass. The Crimea Pass - Bwlch y Gorddinan in Welsh - carries the A470 between Dolwyddelan and Blaenau Ffestiniog, rising to over 1,260 feet above sea level. It will be hit with disruption over the next fortnight. Traffic Wales said that "essential resurfacing" was being carried out - starting from today. This will see temporary traffic lights and convoy escorts for motorists between 7am and 7pm each day. The work is scheduled to end on June 25. Traffic Wales told drivers to "Allow for additional travel time". Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox The Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways said: "If you're heading to Blaenau Ffestiniog along the A470 from Betws y Coed / North Wales Coast over the next two weeks, please be aware that there will be roadworks on the approach to the town from the Crimea Pass. This resurfacing work will be carried out under temporary traffic lights and convoy escorts and will take place from 11th June to 25th June, between the hours of 07:00 and 19:00. Please allow additional travel time to ensure you arrive before your train has departed." Join the North Wales Live WhatsApp community group where you can get the latest stories delivered straight to your phone
Daily Record
2 hours ago
- Daily Record
Two Scottish restaurants named among Europe's best for authentic Neapolitan pizza
Scotland's pizza scene has earned global praise, with two favourites named among Europe's best in a top guide Scotland's thriving pizza scene has earned fresh international praise, with two of the public favourites in two Scottish cities named among Europe's top pizzerias in a prestigious new guide. Paesano, which now has three bustling venues across Glasgow, is one of only two Scottish spots featured in the newly released 50 Top Pizza list for 2025. The respected ranking, compiled annually by industry experts Barbara Guerra, Luciano Pignataro and Albert Sapere, highlights the best places to enjoy authentic pizza across the continent, excluding Italy, Glasgow Live reports. While no Scottish venue made the top 50 this year, Paesano and Edinburgh's Salerno were included in the wider 'excellent pizzerias' category, recognising outstanding quality and consistent craftsmanship. For Paesano, the accolade comes hot on the heels of opening a new southside location and earning recent praise from Big 7 Travel, further cementing its status as one of the country's most celebrated pizza destinations. According to 50 Top Pizza: 'The space is furnished in a post-industrial style with iron and wood, featuring a large bar counter that dominates the room. "However, the name and wood-fired oven bring us back to the typically Italian dimension where food is the result of artisanal craftsmanship with fresh products. 'The goal of this Scottish establishment is very clear: to be obsessed with Neapolitan pizza, with a dough that is left to rise for 24 hours in the Coccia style, and a traditional menu where the great Neapolitan classics are combined with local flavours and seasonality. "Perfect and efficient service, great atmosphere in the dining room, and an unmissable drink selection.' Edinburgh's Salerno was also singled out for praise, earning its place among Europe's finest pizza joints. The guide's reviewers noted: 'A pizzeria called Salerno that serves a perfect Neapolitan pizza: something that may have seemed strange until a few years ago, just as in the Campania city, a fantastic Mediterranean experience is also lived in the Scottish capital. 'The atmosphere is very beautiful and personalised with wicker baskets used as chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, a large counter with a visible oven. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. "The pizzas have a good leavening and in addition to the classics, many are 'reinforced' according to local tastes but always with Italian products: ham, salami, dairy products. 'The service is cheerful and youthful, with a menu of Italian wines, beers, and excellent cocktails that complete an unmissable offer of quality when in this magnificent city.' Explaining the expanded scope of this year's guide, the curators said: 'Because quality continues to grow nonstop, this year too we wanted to emphasise the growing value of the European evolution, by including the category 'excellent' to the guide. "About 150 pizzerias scattered around the Old Continent, where you can eat an excellent pizza, which are added to the 50 positions in the ranking.'
Daily Record
21 hours ago
- Daily Record
Scotland's hottest town features historic castle and a WW2 bear memorial statue
The border town's mercury once reached over 30C After a cooler start to June, temperatures are finally set to rise this week, bringing some much anticipated humid weather. While scattered showers may persist, meteorologists predict more settled and dry conditions will begin to arrive next week, signalling the true start of summer. With school holidays just around the corner, opportunities for enjoyable days out are on the horizon, and one small Scottish town well worth a visit can lay claim to being the hottest spot in the country, Scottish Daily Express reports. That town is Duns, nestled in the Scottish Borders, a few miles from the RAF airfield at Charterhall, where a scorching 34.8C (94.6F) was once recorded. According to VisitScotland, Duns still retains an "air of an old Scottish burgh with its spacious market square." Given its close proximity to the English border, it is hardly surprising that Duns has a turbulent past. The town was even razed to the ground during the 'rough wooing' of 1545. Duns Castle, with its origins dating back to the 1300s, was built on lands granted by Robert the Bruce to Randolph, Earl of Moray. Transformed into a Gothic castle in 1820, it now enjoys a much more peaceful existence. Nearby, Greenknowe Tower stands in beautiful surroundings, while the small kirk at Ellemford holds historical significance as the meeting place for James IV and his commanders before the calamitous Battle of Flodden in 1513. The castle grounds, home to two man made lakes, are now a protected nature reserve. The town also proudly hosts the Jim Clark Motorsport Museum, a tribute to the two time world champion whose family farm was located nearby. Duns is surrounded by several grand mansions. Manderston House, open to the public, offers a "fascinating insight into 'upstairs, downstairs' life," according to VisitScotland. Further south, the Scottish Baronial Kimmerghame House serves as the seat of Major General Sir John Swinton, the Lord Lieutenant of Berwickshire, and father of the acclaimed Hollywood actress, Tilda Swinton. Duns holds a poignant connection to the past, with a Polish war memorial commemorating the First and Second Armoured Regiments of the Polish Army who were stationed in the Borders region during the Second World War. Uniquely, there is even a memorial dedicated to Wojtek, a brown bear famously adopted by the Polish Army. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. A visit to Duns Law reveals the original site of the settlement, complete with the remains of an Iron Age hillfort. The surrounding hills, reaching 700 feet above sea level, provide spectacular panoramic views of the Borders' rolling countryside. The town also boasts intellectual renown as the likely birthplace of John Duns Scotus, the influential medieval philosopher who taught at the University of Paris in the 14th century. A bronze statue of Duns Scotus stands as a testament to his legacy in the public park. Duns is conveniently located, approximately a 70 minute drive from Edinburgh and just 15 miles from Berwick upon Tweed on the English side of the border, making it an accessible and intriguing destination for a summer day out.
