In 1529, the Barony of Sauchie was granted by charter and bestowed on the laird Alexander Schaw who also happened to be ‘Master of the Royal Wine Cellar'.

This was a hereditary post which passed down to his grandson Alexander, who was knighted in 1633.

Around 1631, in line with the fashion at the time, he built a two-storey mansion house attached to Sauchie Tower, using part of the west courtyard wall for the ground floor, and this decision, it is thought, is why it remains largely in its original form.

The two-storey house with its main entrance on the first floor was accessed by a forestair and had the Schaw coat of arms of three golden cups carved on a triangular pediment which commemorated Schaw’s grandfather Alexander.

The ground floor was divided into three rooms with barrel-vaulted ceilings. It was known as Old Sauchie House and was the main residence of the family until around 70 years later when the Schaws built the magnificent Schawpark House and abandoned Sauchie Tower, although it is known its upper floors were used for dancing and singing classes.

Plays were also staged here. Fire broke out in the mid-1700s and gutted the tower. It is thought thereafter the ground floor was used for storage.

The stone flagged floor of the grand hall and the ground floor have survived but the upper floors were destroyed when the roof caved in around 1858 with the corner turrets collapsing around 1890. Old Sauchie House was divided into three tenanted houses but was demolished circa 1930 following the purchase of the site by the National Coal Board.

During the 1980s, while still under private ownership, it was hoped the tower would be restored; however, this never happened and the tower passed into the hands of Clackmannanshire Council before being taken over by Clackmannanshire Heritage Trust.

Some urgent work was undertaken including the construction of a new timber roof to try and preserved the building. This led to the formation in 2002 of the Friends of Sauchie Tower who hoped to raise both awareness of its historical importance and funds for its restoration.

Three years later an excavation at the tower uncovered part of the cobbled courtyard and the remains of a large hall, a kitchen and a huge fireplace. An early oven was also found as well as plaster from 1631.

The tower remains in a ruinous condition and is only open to the public on special occasions such as Doors Open Day.