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Hartree Tower

Hartree Tower was a castle dating back to at least the 16th century, but was demolished in the late 18th century.

The lands of Hartree, along with those of Kilbucho, are said to have originally been owned by the Flemings of nearby Boghall Castle, later coming into the possession of the Douglas Lords of Dalkeith.

The Broun or Brown family lived at Hartree in 1376, and possibly earlier, who were allied with the Douglas family. The lands of Hartree were resigned by James of Tuedy in 1389, presumably back to the Douglas family, and later passed to the Broun or Brown family.

A Richard Broun of Hartree is mentioned in a deed from 1409. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Walter Tweedie of Drumelzier, who was a granddaughter of James Douglas, the 1st Lord Dalkeith. Douglas confirmed the Brouns’ possession of Hartree in a charter of 1424.

Who built the first castle at Hartree and at what date is unknown, however the Browns are thought to have built, or modified, a tower standing on a knoll, surrounded by marshland, in the 16th century. It was apparently clearly visible from Biggar.

In 1536 a later Richard Brown, described as the son and heir-apparent of Andrew Brown of Hartree, was granted the property of East, or Easter, Hartree by his father-in-law, Malcolm Fleming, the 3rd Lord Fleming, having married Lord Fleming’s daughter Janet.

Hartree Tower remained in the Brown family until 1645 when John Dickson received a charter from the Earl of Traquair conferring on him several estates including that of Hartree, becoming the founder of the family of Dickson of Hartree and Kilbucho. A lawyer by profession, he became an Advocate in 1649, and took his seat as Lord Hartree.

The Dicksons are said to have done some work to the tower, and continued living in it until 1775. It was finally demolished by Colonel Alexander Dickson some time before 1790, and replaced with a new house, Hartree House, around 200m to the north-west. Several carved stones from the old tower are said to have been incorporated into the offices of Hartree House, including two roll-moulded margins dating back to the 16th century.

A reference from 1810 refers to the mansion house at Hartree being “merely an old tower repaired”, suggesting that an older defensive building was incorporated into Hartree House. A similar quote from 1815 descries Hartree as “a tower-house, eligibly repaired; with extensive improvements in plantations and agriculture.” However other sources are clear that the new House was built at a distance from the old building of Hartree Tower.

Early maps shows that there was a Wester Hartree and an Easter Hartree as far back as the late 16th century, seemingly quite close together and in the approximate positions of Hartree House and the site of Hartree Tower respectively.

Hartree Tower

Pont 34: Glasgow and the county of Lanark
Timothy Pont, c.1583-1614map image courtesy of NLS

Pont’s map is quite difficult to read, but in the Blaeu Atlas of Scotland, published in 1654, there is a clearer map based on Pont’s manuscript.

Hartree Tower

Glottiana Praefectura Superior, [vel], The Upper Ward of Clyds-dayl
Joan Blaeu, 1654map image courtesy of NLS

Looking at Hartree House it doesn’t necessarily look like a building constructed entirely towards the end of the 18th century, although since it has been added to and modified over the years, it’s tricky to establish what was built when.

A main block running approximately north-west to south-east is three storeys plus an attic in height, and while the windows on its south face are Georgian in design and size, those on the north face are smaller, with carved pediments at roof level over three of the windows.

The floor plan looks to me as though some walls are thicker than others, in particular those at the east end of the main block. Given the map evidence, the references to a repaired tower, the general appearance of the building, and the possibility of thicker walls, it’s tempting to suggest that an earlier building is incorporated within Hartree House.

If that was the case, and it’s a big “if”, it would seem likely that Hartree Tower was the first castle to be built here, and it was followed, perhaps in the 16th century, by a second castle, possibly a tower house, maybe built for a son of the owner of Hartree Tower. Hartree House would then have been built around the second tower in the late 18th century, when the older first tower was demolished.

But I have to stress that this is supposition on my part, and will require more evidence and research to prove one way or the other. For now I will have only one record for these two potential towers, and keep it at the agreed location that is the site of Hartree Tower, as the existence and location of that is not in doubt.

In 1901 the then owner of Hartree House, Archibald Dickson, died unmarried, and the property passed to his younger sister Elizabeth.

In 1948 Hartree House was converted into a hotel, operating as the Hartree House Hotel until 2000 when it was converted back to residential use. The site of Hartree Tower is now occupied by a farm steading, converted for residential use.

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Alternative names for Hartree Tower

Haltree; Hartre; Hartrie; Hartry; Hartryk; Harttree; Hertre; Hertrie; Tower of Hartree; W. Hartry

Where is Hartree Tower?

Hartree Tower is in the parish of Broughton, Glenholm and Kilbucho and the county of Peeblesshire.

Grid reference: NT 0469 3600

Lat / long: 55.608237, -3.514503

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Bing Maps | Google Maps | Historic maps (NLS) | OpenStreetMap | Ordnance Survey | PastMap | Streetmap | Wikimapia

OS Map for Hartree Tower

OS map 336
Biggar & Broughton (Culter Fell & Dollar Law)
OS Explorer map 336


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Directions to Hartree Tower

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Weather at Hartree Tower

15°C
max 15°C / min 15°C
10km/h S
1011mb
89%
21%
03:30 21:01

Few clouds
Weather observed at Biggar at 21:03
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References (books)

A History of Peeblesshire
William Chambers
Edinburgh, 1864
Biggar and the House of Fleming
William Hunter
Edinburgh, 1867
Scottish Arms Volume 2
R. R. Stoddart
Edinburgh, 1881
The Castles of Scotland
Martin Coventry
Prestongrange, 2015
The History of the Tweedie, or Tweedy, Family
Michael Forbes Tweedie
London, 1902
The Works of Alexander Pennecuik
Alexander Pennecuik
Leith, 1815

References (websites)

Canmore

Castles near Hartree Tower

Boghall Castle

1.2km away

Gillespie Moat

1.9km away

Biggar Castle (site of)

1.9km away

Coulter motte

2.8km away

Culter Allers (possible) (site of)

2.9km away

Skirling Castle (site of)

3.9km away

Cormiston Tower (site of)

4.7km away

Kilbucho

4.8km away

Symington (site of)

5.0km away
more castles....
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Ancient sites near Hartree Tower

West Lindsaylands cursus

3.0km away

Quothquan Law fort

6.3km away

Harehill Knowe cairn

6.9km away

Whitslade souterrain

7.3km away

Merlin's Grave (site of) (possible) cist

8.8km away

Drumelzier Haugh souterrain

9.3km away

Drumelzier Haugh standing stone

9.3km away

Henry's Brae fort

9.4km away

Tinnis Castle fort

9.6km away
more ancient sites....
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Pictish stones near Hartree Tower

Princes Street Gardens Class I symbol stone

42.7km away

Abernethy No. 2 Class III symbol stone

42.9km away

Abernethy No. 4 Class III cross shaft

42.9km away

Borthwick Mains Class I symbol stone

44.6km away

Hawkhill Class III cross-slab

58.5km away

Tullibole Class III cross slab

64.7km away

Court Cave Class I rock carving

67.7km away

Doo Cave Class I rock carving

67.8km away

Jonathan's Cave Class I rock carving

68.1km away
more Pictish stones....
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Pictish sites near Hartree Tower

Todholes (possible) silver chain

9.6km away

Borland silver chain

10.2km away

Whitecleugh silver chain

28.4km away

Whitlaw silver chain

46.6km away

Haddington silver chain

60.0km away

Traprain Law silver chain

66.3km away

Hoardweel silver chain

77.9km away

Norrie's Law hoard

80.0km away

Dunnicaer fort

171.0km away
more Pictish sites....
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Accommodation near Hartree Tower

Elphinstone Hotel
hotel, bar, restaurantBiggar
1.9km away
Toftcombs Mansion House
self-cateringBiggar
2.9km away
Tinto House Hotel
hotel, restaurantBiggar
5.5km away
Shieldhill Castle Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barBiggar
6.0km away
Stobo Castle
hotel, restaurantStobo
12.6km away
Drochil Castle Farmhouse
bed and breakfastWest Linton
13.8km away
Days Inn Abington
hotelAbington
16.1km away
Abington Hotel
hotel, restaurantAbington
17.0km away
Barns Tower
self-cateringKirkton Manor
17.1km away
New Lanark Mill Hotel
hotelLanark
17.9km away

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bed and breakfasts
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self-catering cottages
self-catering lodges
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more accommodation....

Cafés, restaurants & bars near Hartree Tower

Elphinstone Hotel
hotel, bar, restaurantBiggar
1.9km away
Tinto House Hotel
hotel, restaurantBiggar
5.5km away
Shieldhill Castle Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barBiggar
6.0km away
Carmichael Visitor Centre and Farm Shop
caféCarmichael
10.2km away
Dawyck Café
caféStobo
12.1km away
Stobo Castle
hotel, restaurantStobo
12.6km away
Abington Hotel
hotel, restaurantAbington
17.0km away
Best Western Cartland Bridge Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barLanark
19.5km away
Cringletie House
hotel, restaurant, barEddleston
20.6km away
Whitmuir The Organic Place
café, restaurantWest Linton
20.9km away
more food.... / more drink....

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Published on the 13th of February 2012 at 9:38 pm. Updated on the 30th of June 2022 at 5:34 pm.

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Andy Sweet above Fast Castle

Stravaiging around Scotland is written, photographed and researched by Andy Sweet.
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