Carberry Tower stands among some of the most beautiful country manors of Scotland, yet the estate also boasts a rich history all the way back to the Roman Era. While the evidence is scant and fragmented, Roman coinage and pottery indicate that the area was settled long before the Middle Ages. The earliest official records of the estate date back to the rule of King David I of Scotland, back in the 12th century. He enfeoffed the lands to Dunfermline Abbey in recognition of their services.
The original tower was a fortified keep, constructed in 1480 and completed in 1500. From 1541 to 1585, the lands were leased by Hugh Rigg, the King’s Advocate. It was during this tenure that the estate became involved in several important moments in Scottish history. The decisive 1547 Battle of Pinkie, while not fought on Carberry land, was said to have been influenced by Hugh's fears of his estate being invaded by the English. In 1567, Mary, Queen of Scots, surrendered to the Protestant lords on Carberry Hill, drastically altering Scotland's power and trajectory.
The modern Carberry Tower we know of today began taking shape in 1819, under the Elphinstone family. The 15th Lord Elphinstone continued these expansions, commissioning renowned architect David Bryce to add an East Range. As the decades continued, the manor was converted from a medieval fortified tower into a grand baronial mansion. Further work was carried out by architect Thomas Ross around 1909, while the Elphinstones also established formal gardens, parklands, and an arboretum in 1911.
