Forgotten Landscape – Westhouses, Galashiels

The Tower of Westhouses

Westhouses Tower, also known as Ormiston Tower, was a stronghold of the Ormiston family — a name deeply connected to the Borders. It stood until 1811, when it was demolished. Not much of it remains today, but I was determined to trace its footprint.

From the surrounding fields, the elevated vantage points and old ramparts still hint at where the tower stood. Most likely, it was situated on a strategic corner overlooking the land — a perfect defensive spot during reiving times.

Westhouses Inn and Village

According to historical records, the tower stood northwest of the old inn at Westhouses — another piece of the lost puzzle. Today, only the foundations and hints of earlier buildings remain. But it’s clear this was once a bustling little community — a village, an inn, and a tower, likely playing a role in the life and defence of the region.

The village site itself has been overbuilt by the modern Pavilion Estate, but oral histories and 19th-century documents still preserve its memory.

Westhouses Corn Mill – Galashiels’ First

Here’s where things get even more interesting…

Historian J. W. Wade, in his 1861 History of Melrose Abbey, described not only the tower and village, but also a corn mill at Westhouses. He noted it had been destroyed by the English during the Wars of Melrose. That places it well before the 18th century, possibly even as early as the 1500s.

Author Margaret Watson later wrote that this was Galashiels’ first ever mill — something I had to investigate.

And yes, there is clear evidence of the mill race — a man-made water channel diverted from the River Tweed, which would have powered the mill wheel. The channel can still be traced today, running alongside the river and splitting off into a separate stream. It’s overgrown, but unmistakably engineered — the hidden legacy of one of the town’s earliest industries.

Rediscovering the Past

So, what once stood at Westhouses?

• A 16th-century tower, owned by the Ormiston family.

• A village and inn, long since vanished.

• And the first corn mill in Galashiels, now nothing more than bumps and hollows in the undergrowth — but still there for those willing to look closely.

If your surname is Ormiston — or if you’re just fascinated by Border history — this spot marks a once powerful and pivotal piece of the past. One that deserves to be remembered.

Watch the Exploration