#Cassilis Castle

[lahilden]

Cassillis Castle is located in Ayrshire, Scotland. The five-story castle was built in the 15th century on a high bank overlooking the Doon River. The property sits on 310 acres and has a gate lodge, a garden cottage, a stable block, a walled garden, and a courtyard. The interior boasts seven-bedroom suites, a ballroom, three reception rooms, a library, a secret staircase, a cinema, a state-of-the-art kitchen, six additional bedrooms, a spiral staircase, and a vaulted basement with a dungeon. The castle and lands were granted by charter to the Kennedy family after David Kennedy’s marriage to a local heiress. David Kennedy, the first Earl of Cassillis, took his title in 1502. The Kennedys owned the property until the 21st century. The castle was altered in the 17th century, and the square stair tower was added. In 1830, the 12th Earl of Cassillis added the two-story front and large extensions, which serve as one of the earliest examples of the Scottish Baronial style. The new owner, Australian entrepreneur Kate Armstrong, purchased the property in 2009 and began extensive renovations. 

[mightywellfan]

Castle Kennedy

Castle Kennedy is a ruined 17th-century tower house, about 3 miles (4.8 km) east of Stranraer, Dumfries and Galloway

The property belonged to the Kennedys from 1482; the castle was started in 1607, on the site of an earlier stronghold, by John Kennedy, 5th Earl of Cassilis. After a brief period in the hands of the Hamiltons of Bargany the property passed to the Dalrymples of Stair around 1677.

The castle was gutted by fire in 1716, and it was never restored.

[scotianostra]

September 9th 1513 was a sad day for us Scots, we lost our King and thousands more fellow countryman at The Battle of Flodden. 

The Battle of Flodden Field was undoubtedly the most famous confrontation between the English and Scots ever fought on English soil. It took place eight miles to the north west of Wooler near the village of Branxton, Northumberland. The year before sought to renew the ‘auld alliance’ and assist the French by invading northern England, should England wage war on France, which they duly did.

Money and arms were sent to Scotland from France in the following months enabling King James to build up an army for a large scale invasion of England. On the 22nd of August a great Scottish army under King James IV crossed the border. 

For the moment the earl of Surrey (who in King Henry ViII.’s absence was charged with the defence of the realm) had no organized force in the north of England, but James wasted much precious time among the border castles, and when Surrey appeared at Wooler, with an army equal in strength to his own.

Now I don't know how accurate this description is so don't shoot me, but it does have a feel of authenticity, it is from Robert White who describes the Scots army, in the Cambridge History of the Renaissance:  “The principal leaders and men at arms were mounted on able horses; the Border prickers rode those of less size, but remarkably active.  Those wore mail, chiefly of plate, from head to heel;  that of the higher ranks being wrought and polished with great elegance, while the Borderers had armour of a very light description.  All the others were on foot, and the burgesses of the towns wore what was called white armour, consisting of steel cap, gorget and mail brightly burnished, fitting gracefully to the body, and covering limbs and hands.  The yeomen or peasantry had the sallat or iron cap, the hauberk or place jack, formed of thin flat pieces of iron quilted below leather or linen, which covered the legs and arms, and they had gloves likewise.  The Highlanders were not so well defended by armour, though the chiefs were partly armed like their southern brethren, retaining, however, the eagle’s feather in the bonnet, and wearing, like their followers, the tartan and the belted plaid.  Almost every soldier had a large shield or target for defence, and wore the white cross of Saint Andrew, either on his breast or some other prominent place.  The offensive arms were the spear five yards in length, the long pike, the mace or mallet, two-handed and other swords, the dagger, the knife, the bow and sheaf of arrows; while the Danish axe, with a broad flat spike on the opposite side to the edge, was peculiar to the Islemen, and the studded targe to the Highlanders.”

The English commander promptly sent in a challenge to a pitched battle, at Millfield, an area of flat ground three miles north of Wooller, which the king, in spite of the advice of his most trusted counsellors, accepted.

On the 6th of September, however, he instead took up a strong position facing south, on Flodden Edge. Surrey was unhappy for the alleged breach of chivalry.   This was at the end of the medieval period, I have pointed out before, battles, in the main, were fought to a code, breaches of which were rare,and so it was a second challenge to fight on Millfield Plain was sent. When Surrey’s herald arrived at the Scottish camp, James refused to meet him and instead sent word that he would not be dictated to by a ‘mere Earl’.

The English commander, at 70 years old was a veteran of many campaigns, then executed a daring and skilful march round the enemy’s flank, and on the 9th drew up for battle in rear of the hostile army.

It is evident that Surrey was confident of victory, for he placed his own army, not less than the enemy, in a position where defeat would involve utter ruin. On his appearance the Scots hastily changed front and took post on Branxton Hill’, facing north. The battle began around 4pm and Surrey’s archers and cannon soon gained the upper hand, the Scots, unable quietly to endure their losses, rushed to close quarters. Their left wing drove the English back, but their reserve corps restored the fight on the auld enemies  side.

In all other parts of the field, save where James and Surrey were personally opposed, the English , gradually gained ground. The king’s corps was then attacked by Surrey in front, and by Sir Edward Stanley in flank. As the Scots were forced back, a part of the English reserve force closed upon the other flank, and finally charging in upon the rear of King James’s corps. Surrounded and attacked on all sides, this, the remnant of the invading army, was doomed. The circle of spearmen around the king grew less and less, and in the end James and a few of his nobles were alone left standing. Soon they too died, fighting to the last man.

Among the ten thousand Scottish dead were all the leading men in the kingdom of Scotland, and there was no family of importance that had not lost a member in this great disaster. The ��King’s Stone,” said to mark the spot where James was killed, is at some distance from the actual battlefield.

Scottish dead included twelve earls, fifteen lords, many clan chiefs an archbishop and above all King James himself. It is said that every great family in Scotland mourned the loss of someone at the Battle Of Flodden. The dead were remembered in the famous Scottish pipe tune The Flooers o the Forest. Here is a partial list of those that died, those that know even just a wee bit of our history, through my posts, will recognise the names, if not of the actual knights themselves, but the families that have played such a part in our history. 

Sir George Seton, 3rd Lord Seton Sir John Hay, 2nd Lord Hay of Yester George Douglas, Master of Angus Sir David Kennedy, Lord Kennedy and 1st Earl of Cassilis Sir William Graham, 1st Earl of Montrose Sir John Stewart, 2nd Earl of Atholl Sir William Leslie, 3rd Earl of Rothes Sir Archibald Campbell, 2d Earl of Argyll Patrick Buchanan, 16th Chief of Clan Buchanan Sir Robert Erskine, 4th Lord Erskine Sir John Somerville of Cambusnethan John Murray, Laird of Blackbarony Robert Colville, Laird of Hiltoun Sir Matthew Stewart, 2nd Earl of Lennox.

Add to the deaths, most of their sons were slain, what is extraordinary though, that of this wee snapshot, none of the lines ended, so there must have been plenty more offspring in Scotland! 

You can read a more detailed account here https://www.britishbattles.com/anglo-scottish-war/battle-of-flodden/

[thepastisalreadywritten]

Culzean Castle is a castle overlooking the Firth of Clyde, near Maybole, Carrick, in South Ayrshire, on the west coast of Scotland.

It is the former home of the Marquess of Ailsa, the chief of Clan Kennedy, but is now owned by the National Trust for Scotland.

Culzean Castle was constructed as an L-plan castle by order of the 10th Earl of Cassilis.

He instructed the architect Robert Adam to rebuild a previous but more basic structure into a fine country house to be the seat of his earldom. The castle was built in stages between 1777 and 1792.

Culzean Castle, Scotland (by David Nicholls)

[airmanisr]

Culzean Castle by Allan Ogg Via Flickr: Formerly, the home of the Marquess of Ailsa, the chief of Clan Kennedy, the castle was designed by Robert Adam for the 10th Earl of Cassilis and was built between 1777 and 1792.

[serenitysally]

Tarbert Castle, Kyntire, Scotland

Tarbert Castle is located on the southern shore of East Loch Tarbert, at Tarbert, Argyll, Scotland, at the north end of Kintyre. Tarbert Castle was a strategic royal stronghold during the Middle Ages and one of three castles at Tarbert. The castle overlooks the harbour and although pre 14th century in construction, the tower dates back to 1494 and the visit of James IV to the Western Highlands. Wikipedia

Name: Sir Archibald Gillispie Campbell, 2nd. Earl of Argyll

Born: 6 May 1459 in Tarbert Castle, Argyll, Scotland

AKA: Sir Knight Archibald “Gillispie” of Argyll, Lord High Chancellor Scotland

Sir Archibald Gillispe Campbell – 2nd Earl of Argyll; ;Lord High Chancellor of Scotland

Married: 22 June 1479 in Renfrewshire, Scotland to Lady Elizabeth Stewart, of Lennox, and Countess of Argyll.

Died: 9 September 1513 at the Battle of Flodden Field, Branxton, Northumberlandshire, England

Buried: September 1513 in Scotland

Archibald was the eldest son of Colin Campbell, 1st Earl of Argyll and Isabel Stewart, daughter of John Stewart, 2nd Lord Lorne. He was made Master of the Royal Household of James IV of Scotland on 24 March 1495. After a crisis of law and order in the west of Scotland, Argyll was made governor of Tarbert Castle and Baillie of Knapdale, and this was followed by an appointment as Royal Lieutenant in the former Lordship of the Isles on 22 April 1500. Argyll eventually rose to the position of Lord High Chancellor of Scotland. His “clan” was rivalled only by Clan Gordon. The Earls of Argyll were hereditary Sheriffs of Lorne and Argyll. However, a draft record of the 1504 Parliament of Scotland records a move to request Argyll to hold his Sherriff Court at Perth, where the King and his council could more easily oversee proceedings, if the Earl was found at fault. The historian Norman Macdougall suggests this clause may have been provoked by Argyll’s kinship with Torquil MacLeod and MacLean of Duart. These western chiefs supported the suppressed Lordship of the Isles. The Earl of Argyll was killed at the Battle of Flodden on 9 September 1513, with the king and many others. He is buried at Kilmun Parish Church.

Archibald Gillespie Campbell, 2nd Earl of Argyll (died 9 September 1513) was a Scottish nobleman and politician who was killed at the Battle of Flodden. Biography: Archibald was the eldest son of Colin Campbell, 1st Earl of Argyll and Isabel Stewart, daughter of John Stewart, 2nd Lord Lorne. He was made Master of the Royal Household of James IV of Scotland on 24 March 1495. After a crisis of law and order in the west of Scotland, Argyll was made governor of Tarbert Castle and Baillie of Knapdale, and this was followed by an appointment as Royal Lieutenant in the former Lordship of the Isles on 22 April 1500. Argyll eventually rose to the position of Lord High Chancellor of Scotland. His “clan” was rivalled only by Clan Gordon. The Earls of Argyll were hereditary Sheriffs of Lorne and Argyll. However, a draft record of the 1504 Parliament of Scotland records a move to request Argyll to hold his Sherriff Court at Perth, where the King and his council could more easily oversee proceedings, if the Earl was found at fault. The historian Norman Macdougall suggests this clause may have been provoked by Argyll’s kinship with Torquil MacLeod and MacLean of Duart. These western chiefs supported the suppressed Lordship of the Isles. The Earl of Argyll was killed at the Battle of Flodden on 9 September 1513, with the king and many others. He is buried at Kilmun Parish Church.

Family: By his wife Elizabeth, a daughter of John Stewart, 1st Earl of Lennox, Argyll had issue: Colin Campbell Archibald Campbell of Skipness (d 1537 escaping from Edinburgh Castle), second husband of Janet Douglas, Lady Glamis Sir John Campbell of Calder (d.1546) ancestor of the Earls Cawdor Donald Campbell the Abbot of Coupar Angus Margaret Campbell, who married John Erskine, 5th Lord Erskine Isabel Campbell, married Gilbert Kennedy, 2nd Earl of Cassilis Janet Campbell, married John Stewart, 2nd Earl of Atholl Jean Campbell, married Sir John Lamont of that ilk, son Duncan Lamont Catherine Campbell, married Lachlan ‘Cattanach’ Maclean, 11th Chief of Duart, secondly to Archibald Campbell of Auchinbreck Marion Campbell, married Sir Robert Menzies of that ilk Elen Campbell, married Sir Gavin Kennedy of Blairquhan Mary Campbell

References: Year book of the American Clan Gregor Society. 1978. “Archibald Campbell, 2nd Earl of Argyll. He was the son of Colin Campbell, second Lord Campbell and 1st Earl of Argyll, … In addition to five daughters, the 2nd Earl of Argyll had four sons: 1. Colin Campbell — who became 3rd Earl of …” Macdougall, Norman, James IV, Tuckwell (1997), 107, citing Register of the Great Seal, vol. 2, no. 2240. Macdougall, Norman, James IV, Tuckwell (1997), 178, citing Register of the Privy Seal, vol. 1, nos. 413, 513, 520. MacDougall, Norman, James IV, Tuckwell (1997), 184-5, citing Acts of the Parliaments of Scotland, vol. 2, (1814), 241.

James Balfour Paul, Scots Peerage, vol i, pp 335-337 Peerage of Scotland Preceded by Colin Campbell Earl of Argyll 1493–1513 Succeeded by Colin Campbell Categories: Lord Chancellors of Scotland Earls of Argyll Deaths at the Battle of Flodden15th-century births 1513 deaths Court of James IV of Scotland

Scottish landowners

My Maternal 13th. Great Scottish Grandfather, Sir Archibald Gillispie Campbell, 2nd. Earl of Argyll Tarbert Castle, Kyntire, Scotland Tarbert Castle is located on the southern shore of East Loch Tarbert, at…