Kirkpatrick Tower (site of)

Kirkpatrick House is a 19th century mansion built on the site of Kirkpatrick Tower.

Ivo de Kirkpatric is on record at the beginning of the 13th century receiving the lands of “Thorbrec” and “Willambi” and the villa of “Blacwde” land in the feu of Pennersaughs, neighbouring Ecclefechan, from William de Brus, grandson of Robert de Brus, 1st Lord of Annandale, for his homage and service. The charter was witnessed by Robert de Crossebi and Gilbert de Jonistune amongst others.

He may have been the same person as Ivo de Crossebi. In 1202 Pope Innocent III wrote to the priors of St. Oswald’s, Nostell and St. John’s, Pontefract, and Roger, rural dean of Ledsham regarding land at Eglefechan. In his letter he stated that W. de Midleton’s (possibly Middlebie) father had placed certain land of Ecclefechan in gage to Ivo de Crossebi in return for a certain sum of money. Ivo, when alive, and later his son, R. (probably Robert de Crossebi), had received a repayment of the loan but refused to return the land.

The land in question seem to have been that of Oulcottis or Woolcotes which was located close to the present farm of Orchard, to the north of Ecclefechan. In 1249 Sir Robert de Brus, 5th Lord of Annandale, was granted two carucates of land in the fee of Egilfechan by Robert de Dundovenald in a charter which was witnessed by Humphrey of Kirkpatrick and Gilbert of Joneston amongst others.

Kirkpatrick Tower was built in the mid-16th century, although all that remains of it is a stone carved with the date 1543 or 1548. The tower was replaced by or incorporated into a new house in the 17th century which was in turn replaced by a new house in 1830.