Fala Luggie Tower

Fala Luggie Tower stands in an isolated position on the bleak, exposed moorland of Fala Moor. Its early history is unclear, but traditionally it is said to have been a hunting lodge with royal connections.

In 1510 John Murray of Falahill was murdered, a crime of which Andrew Ker of Gateshaw and Thomas Scott, brother of Philip Scott of Headshaw, were accused.

All that now remains of the tower is the south-east wall, standing to a height of around 9 metres, with a spread of turf-covered rubble on the ground indicating the approximate plan of a tower that originally would have been an almost square small keep, measuring around 8.8m by 7.6m. This probably dates to the late 16th or early 17th century.

At first floor level are two window openings in the remaining wall. When seen from outside the tower one appears now to be tall and rectangular, while the other small and square.

However on the inside both have similar tall rectangular openings, and it may be that both were originally small and square when viewed from outside. Above these windows can be seen the remains of further window openings on the second floor.

The ground floor was vaulted, and although the vaulted ceilings have long since fallen, their footings can be seen in the form of a step around 0.5 metres off the ground on the inside of the tower wall. At the south-west corner of the tower a short section of returning wall can also be seen.

At the end of the 19th century it was apparently possible to see the trace of ditch or moat around the tower, although if it ever did exist it can no longer be seen. The site now appears to be a slightly raised green mound within a marshy surrounding area covered with reeds.