Parish of Buittle
Extracted from:
Lands & Their Owners - Buittle Parish
By P. H. McKerlie -
Published in 1877.
There are various derivations of the name
Botel, now Buittle.
There was a confirmation by Pope Benedict
XIII. of a charter by Thomas, bishop of Galloway, dated 16th July 1381,
granting the church of St Colmanel of Butyll to the Abbey of Sweetheart,
and of a charter by Archibald, Earl of Douglas, dated 23d August 1397,
transferring his right of patronage.
Craignair Hill quarry is
celebrated for its granite, which was worked for long by the Liverpool
Dock Trustees. It is now made use of to supply various places. That
great work, the embankment of the river Thames, London, was to a
considerable extent built with it. Dalbeattie may be said to have had
its rise to its present position from this quarry. It is six miles from
Castle-Douglas. Two streams effect a junction at the town, being the
river Urr from the west, and Dalbeattie burn from the east. On the banks
of the Urr, six miles south-east from Castle-Douglas, is the village of
Palnackie, which may be called the port of Dalbeattie. It has a quay
which admits vessels drawing seventeen feet of water at spring, and
twelve feet at neap tides. (Admiralty Survey of Coast.)
The
Comyns were also at one time in possession, but this could only have
been a temporary occupation, in the same way, as they held for short
periods other places, and through ignorance are sometimes called the
owners. John of Badenoch, known as the "Black Comyn," married
Devorgoil’s only daughter. When King Robert the Bruce succeeded to the
throne, he granted the lands of Botill, &c., in 1309, to Sir James
Douglas of Douglas ; and his son, King David, confirmed them to
William,
first Earl of Douglas. He also granted Barchar (Barchain) a farm, to
Robert Corbet, quhilk John Barker forfeited. In 1346, Edward Baliol
recovered the estate, and took up his residence at Buittle Castle. It
therefore could scarcely have been razed to the ground by Robert I.
Permission was granted to Edward Baliol to exercise the privileges of regality over Buittle, &e., in the 22nd of Edward III. of 1349. (Ayloffe
ancient Charters.) Baliol failing in his object to obtain the Crown of
Scotland, on the 30th January 1355-6, he surrendered his right to it,
along with his private estates to Edward III. for 5000 meks, with £2000
a-year. Edward Baliol died at Whitley near Doncaster, Yorkshire, on the
17th May 1363. The Douglas family retained the lands. Their estates as
known, were forfeited in 1455, and in 1456 the lordship of Galloway was
annexed to the Crown. After this we do not find any owners for about one
hundred years, and it would therefore appear that the crown retained
possession. It will be seen under Threave that King James III. settled
on Margaret of Denmark, his Queen, as part of her dowry, the customs,
&c., of Threave, and it is more than probable that the barony of Buittle,
&c., were included and retained as royal property until bestowed on the
Maxwells, who as shown under Munches, obtained a grant of Buittle, &c.,
from Queen Margaret, Robert Maxwell being tutor to her son, King James
V. Then on the 5th August 1550, Robert, son of Robert Maxwell, had
retour.
In early times, Munches formed a portion of the Buittle
estate owned by the Lords of Galloway, and their descendant in the
female line, John Baliol. The ancient history so far as known will
therefore be found under Buittle, which latter is now merged in the
estate of Munches. The last owners to be found were the Douglasses, and
after their forfeiture in 1455, it is supposed that, with the lordship,
these lands were also annexed to the crown. Queen Margaret (daughter of
King Henry VII. of England), gave a grant of the office of steward of
the shire, etc., with lands to (Robert) Maxwell, as the tutor of her
son, King James V., and on the 5th August 1550, we find that Robert,
heir of Robert Maxwell, had retour of the same, viz., the barony of
Buittle, Munches, Barchain, Marenach, Castelgowre, Balgreddan,
Guffockland, Corwarie, Cullinaw, Cuil, Knock (Knox) Meikle and Little,
Corbieton, Clone, &c.
There is a statement that previously the
Regent
Morton had possession, and after he was beheaded, his lands in Galloway,
&c., were forfeited in 1581, and passed to John, styled Lord Maxwell. We
find that a John Maxwell did succeed Robert ; also, that on the 19th
September 1604, John, son of John Maxwell, succeeded, and had retour of Buittle.
The ancient history of the lands called Almorness we do
not possess, but Chalmers in his "Caledonia" mentions Maclellan of
Almorness, at the time of the Reformation. After the Annexation Act of
1587, as is well known, the hangers on at Court obtained large grants of
the church and other lands. Amongst these grants there was one, " Daitet
8 October 1587, viz., ane charter granted be his Majestie under the
Great Seal to James Douglas of Drumlanrig, his airs and assignees, of
all and haill the ten merk land of Almorness, with the mains, place,
houses, biggins, &c., to be halden in feu." We have obtained no earlier
information, no doubt from the fact that the land was formerly a portion
of the Buittle or other estate. The next notice is dated 25th January
1614, when Alexander Kirkpatrick of Kirkmichael was served heir to his
mother, Margaret Cairns, in the third part of Orchardtoun, alias
Irisbuittle. We may mention here that Orchardtoun was one of the farms,
and we often find the owner so styled. Of Almorness we find, on the 10th
August 1642, that James of Innerwick, heir and brother of William
Maxwell of Kirkhouse, had retour. He was followed, on the 17th May 1653,
by William Maxwell, heir of James ErIe of Dirletoun, his gudesir’s
brother’s sone. On the 15th September 1663, he was succeeded by his son
Robert. After this, on the 22d October 1695, James, Duke of Queensberry,
had retour of the lands of Almorness. On the 21st November 1699, we find
George, son of Robert Maxwell of Orchardtoun. Again, on the 4th
September 1729, John Burne of Broomhill had sasine of the lands and
tennandrie of Almorness and following, on the 24th August 1730, we find
him called John Birnie of Brownhill in liferent, and John Birnie, his
eldest son, in fie, of the land of Almorness, for the principal and land
of Her Elstoun (Earlstoun?) in warrandice. The first of this family is
stated to have been the Episcopal minister of the parish of Caerlaverock
when Prelacy was in the ascendant, and that he married a daughter of the
bishop of Galloway. He purchased the property, and the retours, &c.,
previously given by us must have referred to the superiority. The family
ended in a daughter and heiress, who became the owner, in confirmation
of which, Mrs Katherine Birnie Mitchelson of Broomhill had sasine on the
24th October 1796, of the lands of Almerness and others, on precept from
Chancery. The next owner was James Douglas, who was in possession in
1799. He is styled of Orchardtoun. As mentioned under Orchardton, parish
of Rerwick, he was the grandson of William Douglas, the founder of the
town of Castle-Douglas, parish of Kelton, to which we refer, as also to
Orchardton, for an account of himself and his descendants. The farms
owned were Almorness, Orchardtoun, Little Castlegowar, Caigtoun,
Clonyards, and Blackbelly. We find him still owner in 1819. To his
daughter Mary he left the farms of Nethertoun, South Glen, North Glen
and HoIm, Ordchardton Mains, &c. She married William Rose-Robinson,
Clermiston, Mid-Lothian. He was an advocate, and Sheriff of Lanarkshire.
They had issue---
George, born 1814.
James.
Douglas.
Elizabeth, married ---- Frere, and since his death again married.
Mary, died young.
Matilda, married William Leslie of Warthill,
Aberdeenshire, and has issue.
Caroline, married ---- Davidson, son of
---- Davidson of.
Sarah, married Alexander Davidson of Desswood,
Aberdeenshire, the brother to her sister’s husband.
The eldest son
George succeeded to Almorness on the death of his mother in 1864. He
entered the Church of England, and for some time was rector of Bisley,
Surrey. He married, in 1849, Jane Eleanor, only daughter of the late
Boyd Miller of Colliers Wood, Surrey, and has issue- William, born in
1851, with others whose names we have not got. Mrs Robinson died at Rome
in 1874.
In 1806, John Maxwell of Munches and Terraughty took
some preparatory steps to obtain for him the baronetcy to which he was
the heir as next in line to Sir Robert Maxwell of Orchardtoun, but owing
to his conduct not being quite satisfactory, the intention was given up.
In 1806 he was in Quebec with his company. His brother, Robert, at one
time lived at Brigend of Dumfries, now known as the burgh of Maxwelltown,
but nothing more can now be learned. The baronetcy is therefore dormant.
Thus ended one of the once leading branches of the Maxwell family. In
1819, James Douglas of Orchardtoun, parish of Rerwick, was the owner,
having purchased the farms. He was succeeded by his eldest daughter,
Sarah, who married Lieutenant-Colonel Maxwell.
Littleknox seems
to have been owned by others at different tinies. Alexander Gordon was
the proprietor, and on the 12th August 1793 his relict, Mrs Margaret
M’Naucht, had sasine of the manor place in security of her annuity of
£40. In 1799 it had been purchased by Sir William Douglas of
Castle-Douglas. In 1819 his heirs were in possession. Cuil and
Littleknox ultimately passed to his niece Elizabeth, the only daughter
of his brother, Samuel Douglas of Netherlaw, parish of Rerwick. She
married Sir Robert Abercromby of Birkenbog, and had issue.
The
earliest notice found is the sale of Craigtoun, &c., by Sir John Seyton
of Barnis, under charter dated 11th August 1593, to Sir Robert Maxwell
of Spottes, parish of Urr. An account of the manner in which Sir John
Seyton obtained, the land will be found under Breoch. Then, on the 31st
October 1615, Robert, son of Robert Maxwell of Spottes, was infeft in
Caigton. Following this is principal sasine, dated 4th May 1675, in
favour of Margaret Herries, spouse to William Herries of Flock, and
George, his son.
We learn nothing more until 1799, when James Douglas
of Orchardtoun owned the land then forming part of Orchardtoun. In 1819
James Douglas of Orchardtoun was the owner.
The farms of Caigton and
Flock are now owned by Mrs Matilda Maithand-Kirwan of Geiston, parish of
Kelton.
on the 15th September 1656, that Amaucht Michell and his
spouse had sasine of the hand of Castlegour. Again, on the 15th May
1672, that Elizabeth Maxwell, daughter of Umquhile William Maxwell of
Castellgour had sasine in fie, and Elizabeth Lytle, her mother, in
liferent. On the 4th December 1712, Agnes Maxwell, daughter to James
Maxwell of Kilfean, and Edmund Maxwell, son to Janet Maxwell, who was
ane ither daughter of James Maxwell, had sasine of Castlegower. They
were succeeded on the 22d July 1725 by James Maxwell, younger of
Carnsalloch, brother to the deceased Edmund Maxwell, younger of the
same. He had sasine of half of the land of Castlegower. The next owner
was Sir Thomas Maxwell of Orchardtoun, baronet, parish of Rerwick, who
had sasine on the 21st October 1751 of the six merk land of Little
Castlegowar, &c. In 1799 Little Castlegowar, with other lands, were
owned by James Douglas of Orchardtoun, and Meikle Castlegowar by Mrs
Agnes Maxwell of Munches. In 1819 the farm was possessed by the heirs of
Sir William Douglas, baronet. The farm is now owned by Mrs M. E.
Maitland-Kirwan of Gelston, parish of Kelton.
See also:
Buittle Castle
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