It lies approximately equidistant between the burghs of Moffat and Selkirk, and defended the north eastern end of St Mary's Loch.
[citation needed] The tower was likely to have been raised according to a statute of the Parliament of Scotland in 1535, that required large landholders in the Borderlands to build barmkins of stone and lime, sixty square feet in area and with walls of one ell thickness and six ells in height for the resett and defense of him, his tennents, and his gudis in troublous tyme.
However, in 1592, Wat Scott fell out of favour with King James VI due to his association with Francis Stewart, 1st Earl of Bothwell, and involvement in an attack on Falkland Palace.
The castle fell into terminal decay in the latter part of the 17th century and was acquired by the senior branch of the Scotts, the Dukes of Buccleuch.
Dryhope Tower today belongs to the Philiphaugh Estate, and has recently been undergoing stabilisation work.