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As an
easily-defended vantage point above the rolling countryside,
the Kingston area has been inhabited for some 4,000 years.
However, there have been many turbulent and historic moments
for Fenton Tower itself since the first building was constructed
here some time in the 11th century. Adjacent to the tower
are the remains of a medieval Christian Chapel.
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Patrick
Whytelaw, son of Lord Ruthven, constructed the current
building around 1550, a typical fortified tower of
the time. But in 1587, ownership of the tower was
forfeited to Sir John Carmichael.
In
1591, King James VI of Scotland, son of Mary Queen
of Scots and Lord Henry Darnley, was surrounded by
a rebel army in Fife, north of Edinburgh. Fortunately
the local towns people rallied to his support and
helped him to escape.
James took the ferry across the Firth of Forth to
North Berwick and took refuge with the Carmichaels
at Fenton Tower. James VI later became James I of
England and Scotland, but granted Fenton Tower to
Sir Thomas Erskine who became Lord Dirleton, Viscount
Fenton and later Earl of Kellie.
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In
1631, the tower passed to Sir John Maxwell of Innerwick,
who became Earl of Dirleton in 1646. However his enjoyment
of the castle was shortlived. In 1650, Oliver Cromwell invaded
Scotland and he sacked Fenton Tower along with the nearby
Dirleton Castle.
With
Fenton Tower now just a ruin, the surrounding land
passed to Sir John Nisbet in 1663. The land stayed
in the same family until the 1850s when it was passed
to the Simpson family.
Ian
Simpson and his life-long friend John Macaskill, decided
to start the tower’s restoration in 1998.
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As
it is a listed ancient monument and a category A-listed
building, Historic Scotland has supervised the meticulous
restoration. Fenton
Tower has been two years in the planning stage and two years
in restoration. But now it has opened its doors once again
as a great Scottish home.
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