Tower Trail

Four impressive medieval towers (more per square mile than anywhere else in Scotland) and a manor house have survived at Alloa, Clackmannan, Dollar, Sauchie and Menstrie; and represent just a few of the great houses which once existed in Clackmannanshire.

The tall tower houses (dating from the late 14th and 15th centuries) were built by the Bruces, Erskines, Argylls and Schaws, who were among the most distinguished families in medieval Scotland. These houses were required to be in close proximity to the royal court in Stirling, partly for defence, but mainly as a way of showing off the status, wealth and style of their owners.

The towers, their locations and the way they evolved are all different and each has its own fascinating story – some have been attacked, most played host to royalty, one was at the centre of an amazing formal landscape and another even witnessed the ‘knighting’ of the poet Robert Burns!

Check out the Tower Trail Booklet to find out more about these impressive buildings and what makes them special.