The name Gilnockie is from the Scottish Gaelic Geal Cnocan, which means “Little White Hill.” Gilnockie Tower sits in what was once referred to as the “Debatable Lands” because it was unclear who ruled over them. The simple pele tower built from rubble stands five stories tall. Gilnockie Tower was built around 1519-20. While it currently can’t be said with absolute certainty who built the tower, tradition links this place to one of the most famous and feared Reivers of the borderlands, Johnnie Armstrong. In 1528, the tower was burned down by…
