MacLellan's Castle (15)
Robert, first Lord Kirkcudbright, died in 1640, and the title devolved upon his nephew, Thomas. This nobleman was a zealous Presbyterian, and took a prominent part in the affairs of the Covenanters, with whose principles, from the commencement of their difference with Charles I, he identified himself. He raised a regiment and accompanied it into England to support Oliver Cromwell's Parliamentary army.
The execution of King Charles I brought about great changes in Scotland. The Estates (Scottish government), feeling indignant that their remonstrances on the King's behalf had been disregarded, passed an Act on 6th February 1649, proclaiming the decapitated monarch's son as King Charles II. War with Cromwell ensued.
Lord Kirkcudbright, who had switched his loyalty to the new king, was sent to ireland. On December 6th, his regiment was attacked by their former allies, the English Parliamentary forces and cut to pieces. Nothing daunted, Lord Kirkcudbriht returned to his native town where he at once set about raising another regiment, chiefly from among his own vassals and retainers and at his own expense. When they were ready, he returned to Ireland. Few, if any, of these men ever returned.
Lord Kirkcubright's generosity in raising and furnishing forces during the civil war, for which he received no remuneration and but scant thanks, impoverished both himself and his estate, leaving the whole district thoroughly drained both of men and money.
Writing from Kirkcudbright in August, 1650, Lady Derby, accompanying King Charles II, described her enforced stay in Kirkcudbright:
"I have been here fifteen days, suffering every imaginable inconvenience, being reduced to eat oaten bread, and some of us to lodge in the house of the chief person of this place, though I never saw anything so dirty. But this is nothing to the religion. The King behaves with wonderful prudence. He is obliged to listen continually to sermons against his father, blaming him for all the blood that was shed, and those which I have heard in this place were horrible, having nothing of devotion in them, nor explaining any point of religion, but being full of sedition, naming people by their names, and treating of everything with such ignorance and without the least respect or reverence that I am so scandalised that I do not think I could live with a quiet conscience among those Atheists."
When John, 3rd Lord Kirkcudbright died, he left by his wife Ann, daughter of Sir Robert Maxwell of Orchardton, a son, William, fourth Lord Kirkcudbright, who died under age in 1669. During the brief lifetime of this young lord the whole of the estate was seized by his father's creditors. The title descended to his cousin John.
Probably because of the estate's finances, John never assumed the title, but at his decease in 1721 his brother James, fifth Lord Kirkcudbright, took the title. In 1723 the fortunes of the family were at so low an ebb that Lord Kirkcudbright made a living by keeping a small ale house under the shadow of the baronial castle of his ancestors.
The 5th Lord died in 1730, leaving no male descendant, upon which the title devolved on William Maclellan of Borness, descendant of the brother of Sir William of Bombie, who fell at Flodden. This Lord Kirkcudbright exercised the business of glover in Edinburgh, and at the election of representative peers, which he invariably attended, he turned an honest penny by supplying his brother peers with gloves.
He died in 1762, and was succeeded by his son John, seventh Lord Kirkcudbright an officer in the army, who rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He died in 1801, and was succeeded by his son Sholto Henry, eighth Lord; and he dying in 1827, the title devolved on his brother, Camden, ninth and last Lord Kirkcudbright.
MacLellan's Castle (15)
Robert, first Lord Kirkcudbright, died in 1640, and the title devolved upon his nephew, Thomas. This nobleman was a zealous Presbyterian, and took a prominent part in the affairs of the Covenanters, with whose principles, from the commencement of their difference with Charles I, he identified himself. He raised a regiment and accompanied it into England to support Oliver Cromwell's Parliamentary army.
The execution of King Charles I brought about great changes in Scotland. The Estates (Scottish government), feeling indignant that their remonstrances on the King's behalf had been disregarded, passed an Act on 6th February 1649, proclaiming the decapitated monarch's son as King Charles II. War with Cromwell ensued.
Lord Kirkcudbright, who had switched his loyalty to the new king, was sent to ireland. On December 6th, his regiment was attacked by their former allies, the English Parliamentary forces and cut to pieces. Nothing daunted, Lord Kirkcudbriht returned to his native town where he at once set about raising another regiment, chiefly from among his own vassals and retainers and at his own expense. When they were ready, he returned to Ireland. Few, if any, of these men ever returned.
Lord Kirkcubright's generosity in raising and furnishing forces during the civil war, for which he received no remuneration and but scant thanks, impoverished both himself and his estate, leaving the whole district thoroughly drained both of men and money.
Writing from Kirkcudbright in August, 1650, Lady Derby, accompanying King Charles II, described her enforced stay in Kirkcudbright:
"I have been here fifteen days, suffering every imaginable inconvenience, being reduced to eat oaten bread, and some of us to lodge in the house of the chief person of this place, though I never saw anything so dirty. But this is nothing to the religion. The King behaves with wonderful prudence. He is obliged to listen continually to sermons against his father, blaming him for all the blood that was shed, and those which I have heard in this place were horrible, having nothing of devotion in them, nor explaining any point of religion, but being full of sedition, naming people by their names, and treating of everything with such ignorance and without the least respect or reverence that I am so scandalised that I do not think I could live with a quiet conscience among those Atheists."
When John, 3rd Lord Kirkcudbright died, he left by his wife Ann, daughter of Sir Robert Maxwell of Orchardton, a son, William, fourth Lord Kirkcudbright, who died under age in 1669. During the brief lifetime of this young lord the whole of the estate was seized by his father's creditors. The title descended to his cousin John.
Probably because of the estate's finances, John never assumed the title, but at his decease in 1721 his brother James, fifth Lord Kirkcudbright, took the title. In 1723 the fortunes of the family were at so low an ebb that Lord Kirkcudbright made a living by keeping a small ale house under the shadow of the baronial castle of his ancestors.
The 5th Lord died in 1730, leaving no male descendant, upon which the title devolved on William Maclellan of Borness, descendant of the brother of Sir William of Bombie, who fell at Flodden. This Lord Kirkcudbright exercised the business of glover in Edinburgh, and at the election of representative peers, which he invariably attended, he turned an honest penny by supplying his brother peers with gloves.
He died in 1762, and was succeeded by his son John, seventh Lord Kirkcudbright an officer in the army, who rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He died in 1801, and was succeeded by his son Sholto Henry, eighth Lord; and he dying in 1827, the title devolved on his brother, Camden, ninth and last Lord Kirkcudbright.