In Moffatdale the remains of the 16th century Cornal Tower lie to the east of Moffat Water on the south bank of the Cornal Burn in a plantation at the foot of Craigbeck Hope. The tower house was the centre of an estate called Pocornal or Logan which consisted of the farms of Crofthead, Craigbeck, Breconside, Woodfoot and Woodhead. The tower is associated with the unhappy Marion Carruthers who is said to have killed herself in preference to marrying a suitor chosen by her guardian. The full story of Marion’s fate has been recounted by Agnes Marchbank.

Cornal Tower ruins

The only substantial remains of the tower is a piece of its ENE wall and from this it has been calculated that the tower measured about 14.2 by 8.8 metres between opposite corners. To the WNW there are traces of a yard and a separate building while there are traces of a mill lade by the Cornal Burn. Access to the tower was via a stone-revetted track from the SSE.

The remains of the old Cornal Tower in the Moffat Water valley. It was the mansion of the estate called Perconal, or Logan. The estate consisted of five farms, Craigbeck, Breconside, Woodhead, Woodfoot and Crofthead. These lands in the early fifteenth century, were granted by Red Douglas, Earl of Angus, to his shield bearer, Carruthers of Mousewald.
Photo and text from Emilio Dicerbo collection; used with permission.

You can find more information by following this external link https://canmore.org.uk/site/49731/cornal-tower