Gilnockie Tower

About the museum

Gilnockie Tower is a Scots tower house built for the Armstrongs, a notorious border reiver family from the Debatable Lands. In 1530 King James V had the clan leader Johnnie Armstrong and his men executed after inviting them to a meeting. After the Union of the Crowns in 1603 the tower survived an order to demolish border fortifications, but it then stood empty for more than three centuries until a renovation in the mid-1970s.

Colin Armstrong bought the tower in 1995, and after extensive repairs it opened to visitors in April 2018 as the Clan Armstrong Centre. It received a four-star rating from VisitScotland in 2019.

The Clan Armstrong Trust once ran its own museum at Lodge Walk in Langholm. That building closed years ago because it needed urgent repair and the lease had expired, so the Trust accepted an offer to keep its archive and artefacts at the tower. The collection is still being sorted for display. The tower also has a Neil Armstrong Room on the third floor with family memorabilia, photographs and items linked to the astronaut Neil Armstrong, including an impression of his moon boot.

Highlights

• Restored 16th-century tower house of the Armstrongs
• Border reiver history of the Debatable Lands
• Clan Armstrong Trust archive and artefacts
• Neil Armstrong Room on the third floor
• Guided tours and private hire of the tower

Permanent exhibitions

• Clan Armstrong Trust collection – The Trust's archive and artefacts, housed at the tower and still being sorted for display.
• Neil Armstrong Room – A third-floor room with Armstrong family memorabilia, photographs and items linked to astronaut Neil Armstrong.

Founded

2018

Admission & discounts

Tickets can be booked online or paid at the door. Card payments are accepted.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The building is a 16th-century tower house. Only the grounds, car park, ground floor and shop area are described as accessible to all. There is a disabled toilet at ground level and a unisex toilet on the second floor.

Kids & families

• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide

Downloadable colouring pages and an educational pack for school visits are available, and a family ticket is offered.

Getting there & parking

The tower is signposted on the A7 between Canonbie and Langholm. No public transport details are published.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop
• Wi-Fi

Free or paid use of Wi-Fi is not specified. Coffee and tea, a gift shop and toilets are listed among the facilities; card payments are accepted.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Weddings / ceremonies

Up to 40 guests.

Exclusive private hire of the tower is offered, and weddings are held there; the venue licence allows up to 40 participants for weddings. Enquiries by email or phone.

Plan your visit