The 16th Century Tower was once occupied by Gilbert Broun, the last abbot of nearby Sweetheart Abbey. A colourful character, Gilbert was famed for his vain attempts to turn the tide of the Reformation in Scotland. Sir Walter Scott romanticised the story by using Gilbert Broun as a model for the central character in his novel ‘The Abbot’. It is understood that the Tower was built for defence, but also to be hidden, a secret place where Gilbert could continue his ministry without interference from the Crown.
