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"The water of Douglas runs quyte through the whole length of this
parish, and upon either side of the water it is called Douglasdale. It
toucheth Clyde towards the north, and is bounded by Lesmahagow to the
west, Kyle to the southwest, Crawford John and Carmichaell to the south
and southeast. It is a pleasant strath, plentifull in grass and corn,
and coal; and the minister is well provided.
"The lands of Heysleside belonging to Samuel Douglass, has a good house
and pleasant seat, close by wood," - Sir Walter Scott, c1830
Hazelside Mains is located to the west of Douglas in Lanarkshire.
Thomas, the first Dickson, for his service to the Douglas Family which
he was related to (his Grandmother was a Douglas), was given the lands
at Hazelside. Later he was also given the Barony of Symington by the
King and was known as Laird of Hazelside and Symington. Today there are
still properties at Hazelside but B Homer Dixon argues that the original
property occupied by Thomas Dickson must have been a building of
significant size since Thomas was able to receive and entertain Sir
James Douglas and those who accompanied him without them being observed.
Others have suggested that the current farm and other buildings at
Hazelside are on the location of the land's former barns and farm
buildings with the actual house of Hazelside Mains being located
slightly west (up the hill from the present buildings) in what was or
bacame a wooded area. This idea of the location and size of the
Hazelside property would appear to agree with the location shows in the
map below. Hazelside was a fiefdom, lands granted by a proprietor,
heritable but not owned. It is stated that the lands of Hazelside
remained with the Dickson or Symington families for many generations but
at some point this ceased to be the case and Scottish valuations rolls
from 1855 to 1935 show that control of the lands had reverted to the
Douglas or Home families although by 1945 it appears that current
property might have been in private hands. [Hazelside was
purchased 'from the estate' in about 1885 by the Mitchell family who
still farm it 130 years later.]
The holding of Hazelside is of such antiquity that it is impossible to
trace its story with any degree of continuity. It first comes into
prominence as the home of the Doughty Dickson, the faithful supporter of
the Good Sir James, but doubt exists as to when the Dickson family first
entered into possession. [c1307 at the time of Douglas Larder
incident, possible]
In the year 1605, John Symonton of that Ilk was served heir to William,
his grandfather, in the constabulary of the castle of Douglas, and the
office of bailie of Douglasdale, and in the lands of Hessilsyde, Kenok,
Little Blantagart, and Polmukisheid, in the lordship of Douglas ; and in
the year 1612, John Symonton of that Ilk was served heir to his father
John, in the lands and barony of Symouton, with the office of bailie of
the barony of Douglas, and captain of its castle.
The old mansion houses of Hazelside seem to have been of very
considerable size, on a map showing Lanarkshire as it was about 1650 the
castle and Hazelside are the only important buildings indicated in the
Douglas neighbourhood - but of the early structures the only fragment
which has survived is part of a building now used as a byre. Set in the
wall is a stone bearing the date 1620, and the thick walls and the
massive stone arches supporting the roof are well worth examination. The
very old mansions did not, however, occupy the present site, but were
situated much nearer to, if not actually within what is now the Windrow
Wood. On the ground covered by the more modern buildings appear to have
stood the outhouses connected with the farm, and this would seem to
account for the fact that less than a hundred years ago the farmhouse at
Hazelside was commonly referred to as "the Byres".
William Stewart of Shawood, born c1663, of the Syewart of Binny family,
also possessed the lands of Hisleside.
The Stewarts appear to have become lairds of Hiselsyde early in the
seventeenth century. On the 2nd June, 1647, William Stewart is retoured
as his father's heir — "haeres Archibaldi Stewart de Hissilsyde, patris,
— in terris et baronia de Symontoun tarn propriete quam tenendris cum
advocatione ecclesiarum." In 1674, Griselda Stewart, William's daughter,
is retoured as his heir. Subsequent retours find the lands merging, in
1702, into the hands of the Douglases.
The Stewarts do not appear in any conspicuous capacity, but as a county
family in possession of their estate, which had a " good house and
pleasant seat by a wood." The farm of Mains of Hazelside is the modern
representative of the property.
Samuell Douglass of Hisleside: Commissioner of Supply in 1704
July 1713 - James Douglass of Hisleside against WILLIAM SOMERVEL of
Kennocks.
Hamilton, Grizell, relict of Archibald Stuart, of Hisleside:
Commissioner of Supply for Edinburgh 27 Jan 1721
MR WILLIAM SOMERVEL having disponed the lands of Kennocks and
Blantaggart to James Stuart son to Mr William Stuart of Hisleside, who
was infeft in the year 1672; Crissel Stuart spouse to Samuel Douglass of
Hisleside, in the year 1683, after having been served heir in general to
James Stuart her brother, did with her husband subscribe a discharge and
renunciation in favours of William Somervel, of all right in their
persons by virtue of any disposition or other right or title they could
pretend to the lands of Kennocks. After the decease of Grissel Stuart,
James Douglass now of Hisleside her son, served heir in special to James
Stuart his uncle, as the person last vest and seased in these lands of
Kennocks, and commenced a proving the tenor of the said disposition and
infeftment, which were abstracted and amissing.
1803 - Archibald Douglas: Land Tax Roll
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