Merchiston Tower, Medieval tower house in Edinburgh, Scotland
Merchiston Tower stands four stories tall with an L-shaped layout, featuring thick stone walls and a conical-roofed caphouse at each corner point.
Alexander Napier, the second Laird of Merchiston, constructed this fortified residence around 1454 as the principal seat of Clan Napier in Scotland.
The tower contains a painted wooden ceiling from the 1500s, transferred from Preston Grange House, depicting scenes from Germanic folklore and James VI court.
The exterior grounds remain open for viewing throughout the year, while interior access requires advance arrangements through Edinburgh Napier University administration.
During renovations in the 1960s, workers discovered a 26-pound cannonball embedded in the tower walls from a 1572 siege.
Location: City of Edinburgh
Location: Edinburgh
Inception: 1454
GPS coordinates: 55.93330,-3.21391
Latest update: March 4, 2025 14:36
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