McCaig’s Tower: myths, misunderstandings and uncertainties

Several familiar claims about McCaig’s Tower simplify a more complicated record. The exact start date depends on whether planning or visible construction is meant; the Colosseum comparison describes the plan rather than the Gothic detail; and some aspects of the unbuilt design remain uncertain.

Last reviewed 22 July 2026

‘It was built in 1897’

Partly true, but incomplete. 1897 is a major date in the building story, while surviving applications and some heritage accounts place the beginning of the scheme in 1895. Use ‘planned from 1895, with major work from 1897’ when precision matters.

‘It is a copy of the Colosseum’

This is a useful shorthand, not a literal description. The arena-like ring evokes Roman precedents, while the pointed arches, battlements and proposed central tower use Gothic or ‘old English’ forms.

‘McCaig built it only to create jobs’

Employment was a documented motive, but not the only one. The project was also meant as civic ornament, a public viewpoint and a personal family memorial.

‘The family stopped construction immediately after his death’

Too simple. The surviving ring appears to have been left unfinished by 1900, before McCaig died in 1902. His testamentary plans were later challenged and set aside in court, preventing the wider memorial programme from continuing.

‘The sketches are definitely by McCaig’

The museum has associated two sketches with McCaig, but academic analysis says their authorship is not conclusively established. They are valuable evidence of the proposed form without being secure autograph drawings.

‘The tower had a military role in the World Wars’

This may circulate locally, but the reliable sources reviewed here do not establish a specific military function. Treat the claim as unverified unless a dated archive or museum record can be cited.