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The ruin of a corner tower that belonged to the 18th century mansion house built on the site of the 13th century castle of the Douglases during the first Scottish War of Independence. No physical trace remains of the mediaeval castle today, but the chilling story of the gruesome episode known as "the Douglas Larder" lives on in the pages of John Barbour's 14th century epic poem 'The Bruce'. See an account here: Link

In an age when a fearsome reputation was no bad thing for a military commander to earn in the eyes of his enemies, Sir James Douglas added to his when he discovered the English had occupied his castle. He attacked the garrison while they were worshipping at church, killing some and capturing some. He then returned to the castle with his prisoners, where he beheaded beheaded them in the courtyard and burnt their corpses on a funeral pyre of wood from wine casks stored in the castle. It is said that his frightfulness gave rise to mothers in the north of England singing a reassuring lullaby to their children:

"Hush ye, hush ye, little pet ye,
Hush ye, hush ye, do not fret ye,
The Black Douglas shall not get ye."

The house was demolished in 1938.