Merchiston Tower

Merchiston Tower stands near the heart of Edinburgh Napier University’s Merchiston campus. Built around 1454 by Alexander Napier, the second Laird of Merchiston, the tower began as a fortified country house. Its thick stone walls, some six feet wide, reflect the turbulent 16th century when sieges were common. A cannonball found in the 1960s dates from a 1572 clash between Mary, Queen of Scots, and supporters of her son James VI. The tower also witnessed less common events, such as witchcraft accusations in 1569 and the summoning of a spirit called Obirion in the garden. The tower’s design shows the skill of medieval builders. It follows an “L” plan with a projecting north wing and a vaulted second floor. The main entrance sits unusually high, at second-floor level, once protected by a drawbridge that reached an outwork fourteen feet above ground. Later owners altered the building: Merchiston Castle School added a Gothic-style extension in the 19th century, while the university removed parts of the north wing to create a campus corridor. Restoration in the 1950s uncovered the original drawbridge and preserved a 17th-century plaster ceiling. Visitors find the tower at the centre of a modern university campus. The medieval structure contrasts with glass-walled lecture halls and corridors that now pass through its walls. Inside, the preserved plaster ceiling and traces of the drawbridge remain visible. Outside, the tower’s fortified walls and projecting wings show how it defended its inhabitants centuries ago. The campus paths lead past the tower, linking it to newer buildings while keeping its history close at hand.