Fisher’s Tower is a much-altered ruined 16th century tower in the village of Darnick.
Darnick, despite being a small village, once had three castles – Fisher’s Tower, Darnick Tower and Little Peel. Little Peel has now gone, but Fisher’s Tower stands at the bottom of Darnick Tower‘s garden.
It is said to have been built by the Fisher family, the Fishers of Darnick having intermarried with the Heitons of Darnick Tower, in the 16th century.
Originally it consisted of an almost square tower, measuring around 6.9m north to south by around 6.8m east to west, with walls varying from 1.0m to 1.5m thick.
In the 17th century it was extended to the west so that it measured around 11.8m by 6.9m, and in the 18th century it was remodelled to form a two storey house with an attic. Above a central entrance doorway in the north wall is a lintel carved with the initials HW.
As yet I haven’t been able to discover exactly when it fell out of use and became a ruin. The building is now roofless and the interior overgrown with plants.
Where is Fisher's Tower?
Fisher's Tower is in the parish of Melrose and the county of Roxburghshire.
Grid reference: NT 53204 34339
Lat / long: 55.600407, -2.744224