Clan Rising
Merchiston Tower today

Scotland · Restored

Merchiston Tower

Merchiston Tower (Merchiston Castle) is a 15th-century Scottish tower house built around 1454 for the Napier family and later the birthplace of John Napier. The L‑plan stone tower stands at the centre of what is now Edinburgh Napier University's Merchiston campus. It served as a fortified country house and has been restored and incorporated into the modern campus.

Recreate this castle →Defend this castle →

Photograph via Wikimedia Commons

First raised

1454

Its prime

1454

Today

Restored

As it stood in 1454

What Merchiston Tower looked like in its prime.

A compact L‑plan medieval tower house of roughly four storeys, built of irregular, mottled red‑brown sandstone blocks. The south face contains a tall, shallow recessed second‑floor doorway (for a drawbridge) and vertically aligned small windows; a corbelled parapet with projecting corbels runs around the top. A small round angle tourelle with a conical slate roof projects above the parapet, while tall rectangular chimneys and a stepped gable punctuate the roofline. The tower sits directly amid an enclosed yard and neighbouring buildings.

Its story

The story of Merchiston Tower.

Merchiston Tower was probably built around 1454 by Alexander Napier, 2nd Laird of Merchiston, on lands his father had acquired before 1438. An L-plan tower with its wing projecting north, it carries an unusually elaborate main entrance at second-floor level, set in a tall recess that once housed a drawbridge. It serves as the seat of Clan Napier.

Its most famous son is John Napier, 8th Laird and inventor of logarithms, born here in 1550. The Napiers held Merchiston for most of five centuries, though not unbroken: sold in 1659 to Ninian Lowis, whose family kept it until 1729, it was reacquired in 1752 by Francis, 6th Lord Napier, then sold again in 1772 and passed through several further hands.

Let to Merchiston Castle School, the tower gained a castellated Gothic-style extension, since removed. It now stands at the centre of Edinburgh Napier University's Merchiston campus, where a corridor runs through the castle itself to link the surrounding campus buildings.

Step inside

7 places to explore in 1454.

The record describes 7 distinct spots at Merchiston Tower, including 2 interiors: vaulted second-floor hall (interior), upper loft or upper chamber (interior). Create your own photoreal reconstruction and explore every one, more scenes means more rooms, more angles, and more of the place to stand in.

South courtyard approach (exterior)Southeast corner and corbel table (exterior)Roofline, turret and chimneys (exterior)Second-floor entrance recess with drawbridge (exterior)Vaulted second-floor hall (interior)Upper loft or upper chamber (interior)Adjacent walled 'yaird' or garden (exterior)

Build Your Own Castle

Recreate Merchiston Tower with AI to explore it.

The artist rebuilds it as it stood in 1454, a photoreal reconstruction that belongs to you alone. Pay with coins, no subscription needed.

Recreate this castle →Defend this castle →

Whose castle

Clans who held Merchiston Tower.

The families that held Merchiston Tower for a decade or more across its history, follow a name to its clan.

  • Napier

    Built for Alexander Napier around 1454 and seat of Clan Napier; held by the family for most of five centuries, reacquired by the 6th Lord Napier in 1752.

  • Lowis

    Held by the family of Ninian Lowis, 1659–1729.

Nearby

Landmarks within reach of Merchiston Tower.

Tynecastle Park, ScotlandStadiumTynecastle Park1 km awayMurrayfield Stadium, ScotlandStadiumMurrayfield Stadium2 km awayGreyfriars Kirkyard, ScotlandCemeteryGreyfriars Kirkyard2 km away

Questions about Merchiston Tower

What is the history of Merchiston Tower?

Merchiston Tower has a history reaching back to the 15th century, when it was probably built around 1454 for the Napier family. It remained with the Napiers for most of five centuries, apart from periods including ownership by Ninian Lowis’s family from 1659 to 1729. John Napier, inventor of logarithms, was born there in 1550, and the tower later became part of a university campus.

What is inside Merchiston Tower?

Merchiston Tower contains a vaulted second-floor hall and an upper loft or upper chamber. The tower was originally vaulted at the second floor and the roof, while a seventeenth-century plaster ceiling was preserved during restoration. An internal corridor now runs through the castle to link surrounding campus buildings.

Why was Merchiston Tower built, and what was it used for?

Merchiston Tower was built as a country house, but it was heavily fortified because its strategic position and the turbulent political situation demanded protection. Its later use changed from a fortified family residence to a school building and then part of Edinburgh Napier University's Merchiston campus. A castellated Gothic-style extension added during the school period has since been removed.

Where is Merchiston Tower?

Merchiston Tower is in the City of Edinburgh, at the centre of Edinburgh Napier University's Merchiston campus. It stands in Edinburgh, within the university's Merchiston campus rather than in an isolated rural setting. The tower is surrounded by neighbouring campus buildings and an enclosed yard.

When was Merchiston Tower built?

Merchiston Tower was built around 1454, in the 15th century. It was probably raised by Alexander Napier, the 2nd Laird of Merchiston, on lands acquired by his father before 1438. The supplied dates agree on 1454 as the tower's first raised or inception year.

Was Merchiston Tower ever attacked or besieged?

Merchiston Tower was frequently under siege and was attacked during the struggle in 1572 between Mary, Queen of Scots, and supporters of her son, James VI. During restoration, a 26-pound cannonball was found embedded in the tower and was thought to date from that conflict. The supplied material does not state whether the tower held or fell in any particular assault.

Which family or clan held Merchiston Tower?

Merchiston Tower was held chiefly by Clan Napier, which built it for Alexander Napier around 1454 and used it as the clan's seat. The Napier family held Merchiston for most of five centuries, though the family of Ninian Lowis held it from 1659 to 1729. It was reacquired by Francis, 6th Lord Napier, in 1752.

What did Merchiston Tower look like in its prime?

Merchiston Tower is a compact L-plan medieval tower house of roughly four storeys, built from irregular mottled red-brown sandstone blocks. Its south face has a tall recessed second-floor doorway for a drawbridge, small vertically aligned windows and a corbelled parapet. A round angle tourelle, slate roof, tall chimneys and a stepped gable complete the silhouette.

Is Merchiston Tower still standing or is it a ruin?

Merchiston Tower is still standing and has been restored rather than left as a ruin. Restoration work began in 1958, during which the entrance drawbridge was discovered and a seventeenth-century plaster ceiling was preserved. The former castellated Gothic-style extension and basement added during the school period have since been removed, while the tower remains part of the modern campus.

More castles of Scotland

Blackadder House, ScotlandBlackadder HouseCastlecraig, ScotlandCastlecraigCastle of Park, ScotlandCastle of Park

Explore the city

Merchiston Tower stands in historic Edinburgh, explore the whole city through the ages

Edinburgh, ScotlandScotlandEdinburghExplore it in 1560 · 1790 · 1880Glasgow, ScotlandScotlandGlasgowExplore it in 1650 · 1775 · 1888Inverness, ScotlandScotlandInvernessExplore it in 1560 · 1880
Explore historic Edinburgh through the ages · All castles of Scotland · Castles of Europe · the best castles in Europe · explore the finished reconstructions.