"In the final years of the Napoleonic Wars, William Kerr, 6th Marquess of Lothian, asked architect William Burn to create a monument to honour the Duke of Wellington's victories in the campaigns against the French.
It was not, at the time, meant to honour the final decisive victory over Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo, for the battle took place a matter of days before the monument was dedicated on 30 June 1815. The monument stood atop Peniel Heuch, near the Marquess's home at Monteviot.
Perhaps Burn, most famous for his work on some of Scotland's most well-known stately homes, should have stuck to his house designs, for the monument collapsed after only a year.
Kerr did not ask Burn to design a replacement but called in a rival architect, Archibald Elliot to create a striking sandstone tower atop the hill. The tower took 7 years to complete and was finished in 1824, a year after Elliot's death. This time the tower was built in honour of Wellington's triumph at Waterloo." (from britainexpress.com)
The views from the bottom were great, can only imagine what they are like from the top of the 150ft tower! - Not to self: go and get the keys next time!!
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