Scotstarvit Tower
Scotstarvit Tower image gallery
Who lived in a house like this? Puzzle over the eccentricities of a tower house with a difference.
Scotstarvit isn’t your usual 1500s tower house. There’s no kitchen, one floor has no fireplace, and another has no windows, despite the its impressive location overlooking the River Eden and Craigrothie Burn.
It was the property of Edinburgh lawyer and mild eccentric Sir John Scot, who rebuilt an earlier tower house to the form we see today. A poet and patron of the arts, Sir John’s quirky outlook is reflected in his rebuilt tower.
The tower is currently closed, but it is still possible for visitors to admire this unusual tower from the outside.
Ready for an adventure?
Membership
Ideal for regular visitors and heritage supporters
Unlimited annual pass for all ticketed sites plus daytime events
- Unlimited annual pass for all ticketed sites plus daytime events
- Discount in our shops and cafés (on site and online)
- Historic Scotland magazine delivered to your door
- Free or discounted entry to sites in England, Wales and the Isle of Man
Explorer Pass
Perfect for short-term trips and sightseeing
Valid for 14 consecutive days
- Valid for 14 consecutive days
- Entry to all ticketed sites, including Edinburgh Castle, Stirling Castle and Urquhart Castle
- 20% discount on audio guides at Edinburgh Castle, Stirling Castle and Glasgow Cathedral
- Guaranteed entry when you pre-book online