Memorials of Angus and Mearns, an Account, Historical, Antiquarian, and Traditionary
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j m I tm &Cfi mm In^fl^fSm MEMORIALS OF ANGUS AND THE MEARNS AN ACCOUNT HISTORICAL, ANTIQUARIAN, AND TRADITIONARY, OF THE CASTLES AND TOWNS VISITED BY EDWARD L, AND OF THE BARONS, CLERGY, AND OTHERS WHO SWORE FEALTY TO ENGLAND IN 1291-6 ; ALSO OF THE ABBEY OF CUPAR AND THE PRIORY OF RESTENNETH, By the late ANDREW JERVISE, F.SA. SCOT. " DISTRICT EXAMINER OF REGISTERS ; AUTHOR OF THE LAND OF THE LINDSAYS," "EPITAPHS AND INSCRIPTIONS," ETC. REWRITTEN AND CORRECTED BY Rev. JAMES GAMMACK, M.A. Aberdeen CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF THE SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES, SCOTLAND ; AND MEMBER OF THE CAMBRIAN ARCH/EOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION. *v MEMORIALS OF ANGUS and M EARNS AN ACCOUNT HISTORICAL, ANTIQUARIAN, S* TRADITIONARY. VOL. I. EDINBURGH: DAVID DOUGLAS M DCCC LXXXV TO THE EIGHT HONOURABLE 31ame& SIXTH, AND BUT FOR THE ATTAINDER NINTH, EAEL OF SOUTHESK, BARON CARNEGIE OF KINNAIRD AND LEUCHARS, SIXTH BARONET OF PITTARROW, FIRST BARON BALINHARD OF FARNELL, AND A KNIGHT OF THE MOST ANCIENT AND MOST NOBLE ORDER OF THE THISTLE, Sins Seconn tuition IN IS, ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF MANY FAVOURS, MOST RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED, BY THE EDITOR VOL. I. EDITORS PBEFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. As the Eirst Edition of this work was evidently an object of much satisfaction to the Author, and as its authority has been recognised by its being used so freely by later writers, I have felt in preparing this Second Edition that I was acting under a weighty responsibility both to the public and to Mr. Jervise's memory. Many fields have presented themselves for independent research, but as the plan of the work and its limits belonged to the author and not to the editor, I did not feel justified in materially altering either of them. The lines I have followed are generally those that I pursued in my edition of The Land of the Lindsays. By the fuller treatment of some of the family histories in that book I have been enabled to give them here in a shorter form than Mr. Jervise considered necessary, and I have also in several instances condensed the accounts of other matters that are dealt with in that work and are like- wise treated in this. I have thereby been enabled to present a considerable amount of new matter without unduly increasing the size or scope of the Book. The lapse of nearly a quarter of a century since the publi- cation of the First Edition has called for many alterations upon the account of the later condition of and the Mearns Angus ; viii PREFACE. yet, without departing from the original scope of the work or converting it into anything approaching the character of the mere guide-book, I have sought to present an accurate state- ment of the more recent condition of the two counties. The list of Authors consulted and used, apart from the personal applications for information, and the personal visits to the places that I have required to make, will show that the labour bestowed in bringing out this edition has not been slight. But from the outset I have had the assurance of its appreciation, and the constant feeling of sympathy on the part of all to whom I had occasion to speak or write. All have been willing to afford abundant aid, and have also continued to evince a growing interest in the progress of the work. It is impossible for me to mention the names of all those who have thus assisted; but I should fail in my duty if I omitted to express the debt of gratitude I owe to Mr. Jervise's Trustees for the confidence they have reposed in me, and for the readiness with which they have acquiesced in and carried out wishes as also to Mr. James my ; Davidson, Solicitor, Kirriemuir, for his co-operation and ready assistance through- out the whole of my undertaking. JAMES GAMMACK, M.A. Aberdeen, October, 1885. PEEFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION. In compiling this volume, the Author may state that the chief objects he had in view were—first, to give an account, historical and traditionary, of the different Towns and Castles in Angus and the Mearns at which King Edward i. resided when on his tour Scotland in 1296 subjugating through ; and, secondly, notices of the families and possessions of such of the Barons, Churchmen, and others, as recognised the supre- macy of England as well during that year, as in 1291, and afterwards in 1303.1 During the period of the disputed monarchy, when Scot- land was prostrated under the sway of King Edward, and 1 Among the authorities regarding these times, the following are the chief : — (1.) A Diary of Edward the First [his] Journey into Scotland, in the time of JohnKinge of Scottis. Ao Regni 24, 1296. The best edition is in the Ragman Rolls, Edinburgh, 1834: see also one with Introduction and Notes, by P. F. Tytler, Esq., in the Bannatyne Club Miscellany, vol. i. In the Archceologia, vol. xxi., an English version is printed, with Introduction and Notes by Sir N. Harris Nicolas. (2.) The History of King John, King Henry III., and the most Illustrious King Edward the I. William of the Records in the of , by Prynne, Keeper Tower London, 1308, pp. fol., 1670. This is volume iii. of his Exact Chronological and Historical Demonstration, etc. (3.) Fcedera Conventiones, Literal, et cujuscunque generis Acta publica inter et alios etc. ab 1101 ad nostra Reges Anglice quosvis Imperatores Reges, , anno usque tempora habita aut tractata. By Thomas Rymer and Robert Sanderson. London, 1704-35. et Scotorum (4. ) Instrumenta Publica sive processus super Fidelitatibus Homagiis Domino Regi Angliwfactis, a.d. Mccxci.—MCC5CVI., or Ragman Rolls. Printed by the Bannatyne Club, 4to, 1834. (5.) Documents and Records illustrating the History of Scotland, and the Trans- actions between the Crowns of Scotland and England, preserved in the Treasury of Her Majesty's Exchequer, with Introduction by Sir Francis Palgrave, K.H., Keeper of the Records. Printed by Royal Command, royal 8vo, 1837. X PREFACE TO FIRST EDITION. when every person of note had sworn allegiance to England —Sik William Wallace alone excepted—nearly a hundred of the chief men of Angus and the Mearns are recorded among rest the and even the names of the the ; history, greater part of whom have been hitherto unknown to ordinary readers. less a in the Still, as they had all more or share achievement of our National Independence, the Author trusts that the notices of them and their estates, which occupy so much of but the present volume, may not only be read with interest, be looked upon as a humble attempt to supply a deficiency in our local annals during one of the most important periods of the national history. The volume was at first intended merely to embrace com- paratively short accounts of persons and places, and a history of the on second of the period Interregnum ; but, thoughts, the Author, considering that so much had already been written regarding the Wars of the Independence, believed that the work would be of much more value and interest were it exclusively devoted to a collection of particulars regarding personal and territorial history, rather than that any part of it should be a repetition of facts which could neither be im- proved upon, nor added to with safety. This change of plan, it need scarcely be said, incurred a vast amount of labour and research beyond what was at first contemplated—so much so, that, with other unavoidable causes of delay, it has not only been the means of retarding the publication of the volume, but has nearly doubled its size. To show how far these remarks are applicable, it need only be stated, that instead of a few pages being allotted to the history of each of the towns and castles, as was at first pro- posed, this portion of the work alone extends to about 230 all that is pages, embracing an account of most interesting, trustworthy, and rare regarding each place (in most cases to PREFACE TO FIRST EDITION. XI the exclusion of matter generally known), extending from the most remote down to the latest times. From the length of time which has unavoidably elapsed between the printing and the publication of certain portions of the volume, as well as from a desire to take advantage of information which sometimes came under the Author's notice after the MS. was prepared for press, a sameness in style and expression will not infrequently be noticed. For these, and other shortcomings (of many of which the Author is but too sensible), he craves the indulgence of the reader, trusting that they may be outweighed, to some extent at least, by the mass of facts which has been collected, and which he has done his best, by the occasional introduction of traditions, to make as readable and as attractive as possible. The Author must not forget to mention that, during the progress of the work, he has been indebted to literary friends and others for some important communications, which will be found acknowledged in their proper places. In an especial manner, he begs to acknowledge the deep obligations under which he lies to Joseph Eobertson, Esq., Superintendent of Searches in the Literary and Antiquarian Department of the General Eegister-House, Edinburgh, not only for the trouble which Mr. Eobertson has so kindly taken in revising the sheets before going to press, but for many valuable suggestions and additions, for which his extensive acquaintance with the literary and antiquarian history of Scotland renders him so well qualified.