Just to the south of Wigtown, in southwest Scotland, stands the ancient Sorbie tower house. When it comes to a place for a picnic this is perfect.
This week Sharon enjoyed a picnic at Sorbie - the sun was shining, there were flowers scattered around and tall trees. On a more practical level there was also a clean portable loo, good paths and solid wooden picnic tables with seats to sit at.
“It was lovely having a coffee in the country for a change,” says Sharon. “It was the first outing for our newly-acquired, custom-made, picnic bag which we had bought at a charity sale for a pound. Inside it has got holders for plates, thermos flask, cutlery and napkins, so it is most practical. And it certainly did its job for us. We hope there will be plenty more picnic outings during the summer months as the scenery is so pretty and a picnic is so peaceful and less hassle than a busy cafe, particularly if you are in a wheelchair.”
Towers in Galloway were built by powerful local families and were small fortified houses, rather than large castles. They replaced the earlier wooden towers and houses set upon small hills. The hill where an earlier structure once stood is next to the site of the Sorbie tower. The peak period for building these towers, using local designs and craftsmen, was from about 1450 to 1580 and the Sorbie tower is a later example, built for the chief of the Hannay clan, where comfort and showing off to neighbours was also taken into account. The towers never stood alone and would have been surrounded by a cluster of farm and other buildings.
The Sorbie tower was built about 1550 and it was lived in until 1748 when, presumably, the clan chief moved to somewhere more comfortable. The tower fell into decay over the next two and a half centuries before being given to the enthusiastic members of the Clan Hannay Society. Maintenance work started in 1974 and is still continuing. For more information see www.clanhannay.com.
www.sharonskitchenworld.blogspot.com
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