Dryhope Tower: A Ruined Peel in the Valley of the Yarrow Water

Dryhope Tower is a ruined Scottish peel tower situated in the valley of the Yarrow Water in the Scottish Borders. It lies approximately equidistant between the burghs of Moffat and Selkirk and defended the north-eastern end of St Mary's Loch. The site itself was protected on two sides, to the east by the Dryhope Burn and to the west by the Kirkstead Burn.

Built of local stone, the tower was originally a four-storey building with the first two storeys of vaulted construction. It rests within the remains of a barmkin which also contained other buildings. The tower was likely raised according to a 1535 statute of the Parliament of Scotland, which required large landholders in the Borderlands to build barmkins of stone and lime for the defense of themselves, their tenants, and their goods.

The castle belonged to the Scotts of Dryhope, and a daughter of the House, Mary Scott, was known as the "Flower of Yarrow" and was an ancestor of Sir Walter Scott. Mary was given in marriage to Wat Scott of Kirkhope, a notorious Border Reiver. The property passed to Wat Scott's family, the Scotts of Harden, and Scott took possession of Dryhope following his marriage. However, in 1592, Wat Scott fell out of favour with King James VI and Dryhope was amongst the Scott of Harden's fortalices that were slighted by the King's army.

The tower seems to have been rebuilt by 1613. The castle fell into terminal decay in the latter part of the 17th century and was acquired by the senior branch of the Scotts, the Dukes of Buccleuch. Today, Dryhope Tower belongs to the Philiphaugh Estate and has been designated a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons