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Howlet's House is a post-medieval towerhouse and enclosures located in Midlothian, Scotland. The structure stands upon bedrock composed of mafic lava and tuff dating to the Devonian period, part of an ancient volcanic sequence. This substantial stone foundation has provided a stable base for the monument's defensive architecture across the centuries since its construction.
The towerhouse represents a building type characteristic of sixteenth and seventeenth-century Scottish landholding, when fortified domestic structures served both residential and protective functions for local gentry. The associated enclosures suggest agricultural use and management of the surrounding landscape, typical of such establishments during this period. The site's geology, formed from volcanic rocks, would have provided readily available building stone for construction.
Howlet's House is protected as a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM5682, recognising its significance as a well-preserved example of post-medieval Scottish fortified architecture. The towerhouse and its attendant structures contribute to understanding settlement patterns and domestic life in Midlothian during the early modern period.
Howlet's House,towerhouse and enclosures is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM5682. View the official record →
Howlet's House is a post-medieval towerhouse and enclosures located in Midlothian, Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM5682.
Howlet's House,towerhouse and enclosures dates from the post-medieval period, and is classified as a towerhouse and enclosures. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Howlet's House,towerhouse and enclosures is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic Environment Scotland — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Scotland. The official designation reference is SM5682.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Carnethy Hill,cairn,Silverburn (1.1 km), Camp Hill, fort 300m N of Braidwood Bridge (2.9 km), Rullion Green,stone circle (3.3 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Howlet's House,towerhouse and enclosures's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Howlet's House,towerhouse and enclosures stands on Unnamed Extrusive Rocks, Silurian To Devonian, bedrock that formed in the Devonian. The rock here is mafic lava and mafic tuff.