Whispering winds once powered its pumps. This is Cammo Tower. Built in the early 19th century it stands as a solitary sentinel a testament to a grand estate long gone. Cammo House a luxurious mansion once graced this very spot. It was the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson’s House of Shaws in Kidnapped. Imagine the opulent life within its walls.
The Cammo Estate was a jewel a secret gem of Edinburgh. Sir John Clerk of Penicuik designed the surrounding parkland. He was a polymath a man of music poetry and landscaping. He created radiating paths avenues and formal gardens. He even planted Edinburgh’s oldest ash tree.
A walled kitchen garden an ornamental canal a ha-ha all once surrounded Cammo Tower. These features were part of a carefully designed landscape. The tower itself was a water tower. It supplied fresh water to Cammo House a quarter mile away. Its castellated top and four blocked entrances at each level are striking.
The tower is four stories high. A string course separates each stage. It has a ground floor entrance on the southwest side. Interestingly Cammo Tower was not just a pretty folly. It had a very practical purpose. Early photographs show sails atop the tower. These sails harnessed wind power to pump water. The tower also served as a focal point for vistas from the house and gardens.
The house was sadly destroyed by arson. Most of it was pulled down. Only the tower remains. The estate was given to Edinburgh Council. It’s now a wilderness park. Cammo Tower stands as a poignant reminder of Cammo House. It watches over the ruins of a once grand house among the trees. It’s a silent witness to history a story etched in stone and wind. Today it’s a reminder of a bygone era of elegance and practicality. A true marvel. The Cammo Tower continues to fascinate all who encounter its mysterious past.