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Old Gala House

Old Gala House started life as a tower house in the 15th century, but was extended over the centuries and is now a museum, art gallery and offices.

The original tower was built by the Pringle, or Hoppringill, family in 1457, after they had been granted the lands of Gala by the Earl of Douglas. It originally stood to the west of the Old Town of Gala.

In 1583 the original tower was either replaced by, or more likely incorporated into, a larger building by Andrew Pringle. A carved stone panel from the new tower, now installed in the gate lodge, depicts Andrew Pringle and his wife Mariota Borthwick, daughter of John, the 5th Lord Borthwick, holding heraldic shield carrying their initials.

Consisting of two storeys and an attic, with an entrance at first floor level, it is aligned approximately north-west to south-east. It has variously been described as a bastle house or pele tower.

In 1611 Sir James Pringle, the last Pringle Laird of Gala, built a new self-contained wing, extending to the south-west from the south-western corner of the 16th century castle to form an L-shape.

The new 7 bay wing was three storeys in height, the southern two thirds of the ground floor forming a large hall, with a single smaller chamber at the northern end. On the rear of the wing, to the west, is a projecting external square stair tower.

Small windows can be seen on the outer wall of the ground floor of the new wing.

Sir James Pringle moved to the family seat of Smailholm Tower in 1635, when his daughter Jean Pringle married Hugh Scott, and Old Gala House became a Scott property. A painted timber ceiling, rediscovered in 1952, was created the same year to commemorate the marriage, and the house remodelled further.

At some point in the 18th century a new wing was added to the south end of the 17th century block, extending to the west to form a U shape.

Around 1830 gabled corner bays were added either side of the 1611 block, and further work was carried out on the interiors in 1860. During the course of this work a fireplace lintel, previously plastered over, was uncovered. Measuring some 2.9m wide by 0.5m tall, it is carved with Latin inscriptions and the arms and initials of Sir James Pringle and his wife Jean Ker of Linton.

Old Gala House remained home to the Scotts until 1872, when another Hugh Scott commissioned David Bryce to build New Gala House. However New Gala House was demolished in 1985.

Ownership of Old Gala House passed to Scottish Borders Council, and in 1988 it was converted by Page and Park Architects, reopening as a museum. It now also contains an art gallery, office space and a conference centre.

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Alternative names for Old Gala House

Gala House

Where is Old Gala House?

Old Gala House is in the parish of Galashiels and the county of Selkirkshire.

Grid reference: NT 49165 35897

Lat / long: 55.613999, -2.8086051

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OS Map for Old Gala House

OS map 338
Galashiels, Selkirk & Melrose (St Boswell’s & Lauder)
OS Explorer map 338


Directions to Old Gala House

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Weather at Old Gala House

18°C
max 18°C / min 18°C
19km/h NE
1025mb
54%
3%
03:56 20:18

Clear sky
Weather observed at Galashiels at 15:30
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References (books)

The Castellated and Domestic Architecture of Scotland Volume 5
David MacGibbon
Edinburgh, 1892
The Castles of Scotland
Martin Coventry
Prestongrange, 2015
The Story of the Tweed
Herbert Maxwell
London, 1909

References (websites)

Listed Building record
Canmore
Wikipedia

Castles near Old Gala House

Hunter's Hall (site of)

0.3km away

Ladhope Tower

0.9km away

Buckholm Tower

2.2km away

Blindlee Tower (site of)

2.5km away

Torwoodlee Tower

3.1km away

Faldonside Castle (site of)

3.3km away

Westhouses (site of)

3.3km away

Hillslap Tower

4.1km away

Sunderlandhall

4.2km away
more castles....
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Ancient sites near Old Gala House

Torwoodlee broch and fort

3.7km away

Bow Castle broch

6.6km away

Eildon Hill North fort

7.0km away

Newstead (site of) souterrains

7.7km away

Earlston standing stone

11.2km away

Brothers' Stones standing stone

12.7km away

Littledean fort

14.8km away

Cambridge standing stone

15.4km away

Warrior's Rest standing stone and rock art

15.9km away
more ancient sites....
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Pictish stones near Old Gala House

Borthwick Mains Class I symbol stone

22.4km away

Abernethy No. 2 Class III symbol stone

44.1km away

Abernethy No. 4 Class III cross shaft

44.1km away

Princes Street Gardens Class I symbol stone

44.8km away

Court Cave Class I rock carving

62.8km away

Doo Cave Class I rock carving

62.8km away

Jonathan's Cave Class I rock carving

63.0km away

Sliding Cave Class I rock carving

63.0km away

Scoonie Class II cross slab

66.6km away
more Pictish stones....
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Pictish sites near Old Gala House

Whitlaw silver chain

12.0km away

Haddington silver chain

37.6km away

Hoardweel silver chain

38.2km away

Traprain Law silver chain

40.0km away

Borland silver chain

44.1km away

Todholes (possible) silver chain

46.3km away

Whitecleugh silver chain

69.6km away

Norrie's Law hoard

71.9km away

Dunnicaer fort

153.8km away
more Pictish sites....
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Accommodation near Old Gala House

The Clovenfords Country Hotel
hotelGalashiels
4.2km away
George & Abbotsford Hotel
hotel, barMelrose
5.8km away
Melrose SYHA Hostel
hostelMelrose
6.1km away
Best Western Philipburn Country House Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barSelkirk
7.7km away
Broadmeadows SYHA Hostel
hostelSelkirk
9.6km away
The Buccleuch Arms Hotel
hotelSt Boswells
11.1km away
Aikwood Tower
self-cateringSelkirk
12.2km away
Black Bull Hotel, Lauder
hotelLauder
12.3km away
Lauderdale Apartment
self-catering apartmentLauder
12.7km away
Huntlywood Granary
bed and breakfastEarlston
14.4km away

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Cafés, restaurants & bars near Old Gala House

George & Abbotsford Hotel
hotel, barMelrose
5.8km away
Baxters Selkirk
caféSelkirk
6.5km away
Selkirk Deli
caféSelkirk
7.6km away
Best Western Philipburn Country House Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barSelkirk
7.7km away
Saffron
restaurantInnerleithen
16.1km away
No1 Peebles Road
caféInnerleithen
16.2km away
Macdonald Cardrona Hotel, Golf & Spa
hotel, bar, restaurantCardrona
19.8km away
Johnstons of Elgin Eastmill Café
caféHawick
20.6km away
Kailzie Gardens Restaurant
café, restaurantKailzie
21.2km away
The Terrace Café, Floors Castle
caféKelso
21.4km away
more food.... / more drink....

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Dunbar harbour and castle
Published on the 20th of November 2011 at 11:34 am. Updated on the 25th of April 2015 at 5:31 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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