Alloa Tower was once part of a mansion called Mar’s Wark. The mansion and tower are located near Stirling Castle by John Erskine, Earl of Mar, using the stones of the ruined Cambuskenneth Abbey. The tower is the largest and longest surviving keep in Scotland.
The tower was built in the 14th century and was designed
to guard a ferry crossing on the River Forth, which is located near the tower.
It was the ancestral seat of the Erskines and is full of art and tales that
have been gathered throughout its history.
The Abbott of Cambuskenneth cursed Erskine after he took the stones to build the new mansion. The curse stated that the work would be cursed and never finished, the land would be given to a stranger, and the titles would lie amongst the dead. It also claimed that there would be a burning of the dwelling place where his wife would die, and the family would have many children, but they would be of little honor. The curse said a sprig would grow from the highest stone in the building. The curse concluded that the tower would be in ruin.
However, only a few parts of the curse came true. Earl Mar lost the land when fighting with the
Jacobites. His eldest son was disinherited and died an opium-related death, and
he had three sons who were born blind. The titles lay with the dead for 100
years. There was a fire at the mansion. The family fled in their nightclothes,
and today, only the tower remains. The tree of an ash tree was spotted in 1815.
Despite the curse and the parts that came into fruition, several
parts of the curse did not come true. After Earl Mar lost the land, it was given
to his brother, who was not a stranger. His wife died prior to the fire,
despite the curse’s claims.
The tower was updated and restored in the 18th
century by John Erskine, 6th Earl of Mar,
who was a leader of the Jacobite Rising. Today, visitors can visit the tower to
view the 18th-century interior and climb the tower to admire the
views. Visitors can also view the medieval Solar room that still has its
original oak roof timbers.
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