Arnot Tower was built in the early to mid 1400s, probably on the site of an earlier structure. It is the seat of Clan Arnot, and records dating back to 1105 link the Arnot family to the site. The last of the direct line of Arnots left the Tower sometime in the late 1600s to early 1700s, and the current Tower has been a ruin for some 300 years.

Although it has recently fallen into obscurity, the Tower used to be a prominent landmark which served as inspiration for local artists including the painter Ebeneezer Birrell (1830s) and the poet Michael Bruce (1750s).

Arnot Tower is a scheduled ancient monument.