The Parish of Strathblane and its inhabitants from early times. A chapter of Lennox History

Preface

This Book was originally intended for the people of Strathblane alone. It is thus mainly local, and there are many things recorded in it which can interest only a Strathblane man. It has grown to its present size very much through the abounding kindness of my friends in the parish. Every heritor has opened his charter chest to me, and every old inhabitant has ransacked his or her memory at my call. Ample local materials, documentary and oral, have thus been given to me, and it would be very ungrateful if I did not here record my hearty thanks to my fellow-parishioners. I have to thank, too, my friends outside of the parish who have given me aid. They are too many to enumerate here, but I am particularly indebted to Mr. Thomas Dickson, LL. D., of H.M. Register House, Edinburgh, for much valuable advice and help ; to Mr. Robert Renwick, Depute Town Clerk of Glasgow, for his ready and skilful aid in deciphering old documents ; and to Mr. David Murray, M.A., of Glasgow, for many friendly acts.

Mrs. Robert MacLehose has given me much help in going over my proof sheets, and to her also I tender my thanks. Appendix I. is the work of my daughters, who have taken much pains with it, and have been very successful in reading off half, or often nearly wholly, effaced inscriptions. They have made this part of the book, I venture to say, as perfect as possible. I hope that this record of Strathblane Churchyard may be imitated in other parishes, for there is no doubt that much valuable family history is slowly decaying away among the weeds and mosses of many a neglected churchyard.

PREFACE.

. VI Sir Charles E. F. Stirling of Glorat has kindly lent me three woodcuts, and Mr. Barns-Graham of Craigallian, one, and the late Mr. Graeme R. Mercer of Gorthy the block from which the arms of Graham of Gorthy are engraved. The pictures were painted in black and white by Mr. Frederick Alsop of Milngavie, with the exception of that of the Blanefield Works, which is from a photograph by Mr. John Coubrough. All have been platinotyped by Mr. William Mansfield of St. Mary Cray, Kent. Mr. J. M. Corner of Edinburgh has engraved in wood the seals, etc., and has made good work, as he always does. The heraldic device on page xii and on the cover was designed by my friend, Mr. Harry A. Mitchell, and executed by Mr. David Cunninghame of Glasgow. It contains the shields of the old Strathblane families of Stirling of Craigbarnet and Kirklands ; Buchanan of Buchanan and Ballewan ; Douglas of Mains and Arlehaven ; Graham of Montrose and Mugdock ; Edmon stone of Duntreath ; and Cunninghame of Drumquhassle, Blairquhosh, and Easter Mugdock ; surmounted by that of the ancient Earl of Lennox, the over lord of the district. J. GUTHRIE SxMITH. Mugdock Castle, Strathblane, loth December, 1S86. CONTENTS

Chapter I

Situation and Extent of Strathblane — Name of the Parish— Cymric History — King Arthur — Battle of Arddunion or Ardennan — Battle of Maesydawc or Mugdock — The Earldom of Lennox, --------- page i

Chapter II

The Barony and Lands of Mugdock — Its Manor Place — The Grahams of Mugdock and Montrose — The Campbells in Mugdock — The Restoration of Mugdock to the Grahams —Other Families in Mugdock — The Feuing Out of the Barony of Mugdock — Auchengillan — The Provans — The Aitkens — Carbeth Guthrie — The Smiths and other Owners — Garvel — Craigallian — The Colquhouns — The Brysons — The Barns-Grahams of Lymekilns — Craigend — The Smiths — The Buchanans — The Three Touns of Easter Mugdock — Mugdock Families — Leddriegreen — The Craigs — The Craigs of Colbeg — The Robisons and Jamesons — The Woodend of Mugdock — The Weirs, - 1 1

Chapter III

The Barony and Lands of Duntreath — Duntreath Proper — Arlehaven — The Douglases of Mains — The Lyles — Dungoiach — Blairgar — Ballewan Edmonstone — Cult Edmonstone — The Foyers — Blairquhosh — The Cunninghames of Drumquhassle — The Buchanans of Carbeth — The Duncans — Spittal of Ballewan — The Edmonstones of Broich and Spittal — Corriedale — Carbeth— Dunmullin — The Edmonstones of Duntreath, --------- 72

Chapter IV

The Kirklands of Strathblane — The Stirlings of Craigbarnet and Kirklands— The Stirlings of Glorat and Kirklands — The Stirlings of Law and Kirklands — Ballagan — The Stirlings of Ballagan — The Grahams of Ballagan, - - STRATHBLANE. VIII

Chapter V

Ballewan — The Buchanans of Ballewan — The Lennoxes of Ballewan — The Craigs of Ballewan — The Grahams of Ballewan, page 157

Chapter VI

The Early Ecclesiastical History of Strathblane — The Hospital of Polmadie — The Prebend of Strathblane in the Cathedral of Glasgow — The Collegiate Church of Dumbarton — The Provosts of the Collegiate Church of Dumbarton — The Vicars of Strathblane, - 166

Chapter X

The Industries of Strathblane — Meal Mills — Weaving — Waulk Mills — Bleachfields — Inkle Factory — Block Printing — Blanefield — Flock Mill — Distilleries — Smuggling, - - 246

CHAPTER XL

Old and New Strathblane — Old and New Houses — Old and New Roads — Other Changes in the Parish — Black Mail — Progress of the Parish in the Present Century, ------- CONTENTS. IX Appendix I. Strathblane Churchyard in 1886— A Complete List of the Tombstones and Inscriptions thereon, page 269 Appendix II. Barony of Mugdock — The Reddendo in the Mugdock Feus, - - - - 304 Appendix III. Barony of Duntreath — Charter by Isabella, Duchess of Albany and Countess of Lennox. of the Lands of Duntreath and others to William of Edmonstone and Matilda Stewart, his Spouse, 15th February, 1445 — The Sheep Farm of Letter — The Burial Place of the Princess Mary in the Church of Strathblane -The Stirlingshire Election of 182 1, 306 Appendix IV. The Kirklands of Strathblane — Rental of the Kirklands before 1681 — Rental of the Kirklands, 1726 — Ane Inventar of the Plenishing within Craigbarnet, 1667 — Deed of Gift by my Lord Governor Albany of Lands, Annuals, etc., to William Stirling of Glorat, 4th March, 1 516-17 — Gift of a Beidmanship in the Collegiate Church of Dumbarton by George Stirling of Glorat to Robert Makcadam, 26th May, 1539 — Notarial Instrument following thereon — Gift of Two Beidmanships in the Collegiate Church of Dumbarton by John Stirling of Glorat to William Stirling, his natural Son, nth P'ebruary, 1627, ----- 315 Appendix V. Ballewan — The Boundaries of the Lands of Quylt or Cult in 1570, 322 Appendix VI.

The Early Ecclesiastical History of Strathblane — Deed of Gift by the Bailies and others of the Burgh of Dumbarton, of the Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary to the Lady Isabella, Duchess of Albany and Countess of Lennox, nth May. 1453 — Ladyton, in the Parish of Bonhill — Revenues of the Provostry of Dumbarton — The Installation of Master James Stewart, Provost of the Collegiate Church of Dumbarton — Protest by Master Robert Maxwell, Provost of the Collegiate Church of Dumbarton, against the Dilapidations of his Predecessor, - 324 Appendix VII. Protestant Ministers of Strathblane — The Session Records of Strathblane — " The New Psalmes " of 1650— The Election of Parish Minister in 1886, - - STRA THBLANE. X Appendix VIII. Localities and Teinds of Strathblane, - page 340 Appendix IX. Valuation Rolls of Strathblane — 1691 — 1831 — 1885, ------ 345 Appendix X. Strathblane — Place Names, and Surnames, ------- 348 Appendix XI.

Strathblane Institutions, 1SS6, ------- 353 Appendix XII. Miscellanea — Population of the Parish — Strathblane Meteorology — Inundations — Earthquake — Heights above the Sea of Places in Strathblane — Farm Products and Cattle in Strathblane in 1796, 1841, 1886 — Parochial Events while this Work is passing through the Press, -------- 357 INDEX. I. Names of Persons, ----------- 365 II. Names of Places, 390 III. Miscellanea, ------------ 392 ILLUSTRATIONS. in platinotype. I. Mugdock Castle — The Old South-West Tower, - - - - Frontispiece. II. Mugdock Castle, as restored, - to face 35 III. Carbeth Guthrie, from the South, - - 41 IV. Craigallian, from the South-West. -------- 47 V. Craigend Castle, ----------- 53 VI. Leddriegreen, ------------ 65 VII. Duntreath Castle, ----------- 73 VIII. The Meikle Tree of Blairquhosh, -------- g2 IX.

A View in the Kirklands, --------- 137 X. Ballagan, ------------- 149 XI. Ballewan, ------------ 1 57 XII. The Manse of Strathblane, - 224 XIII. The Church of Strathblane, --------- 22g XIV. Blanefield Printwork, from the West, ------- 2^g XV. The Last of the Old Clachan of Carbeth, - - - - - CONTENTS. XI WOODCUTS. I. Seal of Malcolm, Earl of Lennox, 1292, ------- page 11 2. Seal of Sir Patrick Graham, 1292, -------- 13 3. Seal of William, 2nd Earl of Montrose, 1 541, ------ 15 4. Ruins of North Tower of Mugdock, 17 5. The Archery Medal of Mungo Graham of Gorthy, 1687, ... - 24 6. Stone found among the ruins of Old Mugdock, 27 7. The Window over the Door at Mugdock, ------- 34 8. Seal of William Smith of Carbeth Guthrie, ------- 45 9. Armorial Bearings of Barns-Graham of Craigallian, 51 10.

Seal of John Smith of Craigend, --------- 53 n. Seal of Archibald Smith of Jordanhill, - ------- 56 12. Armorial Bearings of Buchanan of Craigend and Dunburgh, - 59 13. Seal of Nicholas Douglas of Mains, 1392, 76 14. Armorial Bearings of Douglas of Mains, as now in use, - 76 15. Armorial Bearings of Buchanan of Carbeth, - ------ gi 16. Seal of Sir William Edmonstone, 2nd of Duntreath, 1470, - 106 17. Seal of Isabella, Duchess of Albany, Countess of Lennox, 1445, - - 107 18. Mural Tablet at Duntreath, with the Armorial Bearings of Sir James Edmonstone, c. 1600, ---------- 115 19. Seal of Sir Archibald Edmonstone, nth of Duntreath, - 123 20. Seal of Sir William Edmonstone, 14th of Duntreath, - - - - 124 21. Seal of George Stirling, younger of Craigbarnet, 1502, ... - 132 22. The Armorial Bearings of Stirling of Craigbarnet, as registered in the Lyon Office, 139 23.

The Livery Button of John Stirling, 12th of Craigbarnet,- - - - 140 24. The Armorial Bearings of the Stirlings of Glorat, ----- 147 25. Seal of Walter Stirling of Ballagan, 1535, ------- 151 26. Rev. John Cochran's Tombstone, 210 27. Tombstone of — M'Farlan, Spouse of Master David Elphinstone, - - 212 28. Mural Tablet on S.E. corner of the New House at Mugdock, - - - 255 29. Tombstone, with a Shield, Buchanan and Graham impaled, - - - 290 30. Tombstone, with a Shield, Macfarlan and Cunninghame impaled, - - 294 MAPS. Old Strathblane, 256 Strathblane in 1886, ------------ 256 PLAN. Plan of Strathblane Churchyard, including new Burying Ground, - - -

Chapter I. Early Strathblane

The Parish of Strathblane is part of the old Earldom of Lennox, and though now in Stirlingshire, was originally, along with Buchanan or Inchcalleoch, Drymen, Balfron, Fintry, Killearn, and Campsie, in Dumbartonshire. At an early date, however, these seven parishes were transferred to Stirlingshire, and remained part of it till 1503, when by Act of Parliament it was enacted that they " be of the Sherrifdome of Dumbartan." J This arrangement in favour of Dumbartonshire did not last long, for in 1509 a second Act of Parliament restored the seven Lennox parishes to Stirlingshire. But thoagh in Stirlingshire, Strathblane and the other six parishes continued to have a certain connection with Dumbartonshire, and when troops were raised and money required for warlike operations the men of " the Sevin Kirkis of Striuilingshyre that is within Lennox" were always treated like their Dumbartonshire neighbours, and not like the other Stirlingshire parishes.

Thus in 1569, when the Castle of Dum barton was held against the King by " Johnne Lord Flemyng and his complices, rebellis," the landed men inhabitants of the Sheriffdoms of Renfrew, Dumbarton, and the " Sevin Parrochynnis of the Lennox that is within Strivelingschyre " were summoned to assist at the siege.2 In the same year, when there was a gathering of troops for certain operations in the soath coantry, the " fensabill personnis " within the Sheriffdom of Stirling, " the Sevin Kirkis within the Lennox except," were summoned.3 On the 10th Jane, 1573, a force ander the Earl of Argyle, consisting of the men of the Nether Ward of Clydesdale, of Dambartonshire, " the Sevin Kirkis of Strivelingschyre qahilkis ar in the Levenax," and of other districts in the West of Scotland, were convened to compel Lord Semple to restore to Lord Claad Hamilton 'Act Par.

Jac. iv. 1503. 2 Keg. Priv. Council, vol. ii. p. 12. 3 Reg. Priv. Council, vol. ii. p. 19. A his Commendatory of Paisley,1 and other instances of this Dambartonshire con nection could be shown. In 1639 an attempt was made to have the seven parishes restored to Dam bartonshire, and after sandry preliminaries " An Act in favoar of Dambartanschyir " was prepared and read in Parliament, 13th November, 1641.2 This Act narrated that " the Sherifdom of Dambartane hes beine ancient and of ane Lairg extent Consisting of Fowrteine paroche Kirkis Qll of lait that Sevine Kirkis thereof viz Inchcalleoch (now callit Buchanan) Dryman, Balfrone Fintrie Killerne Straithblane and Campsy ar withdrawine therefra and the Inhabitantis of the saidis Parochines urgit and compellit to answer in the Sherefe Courtes and in the Justice Aires of Sterviling," .... that " the Sex parochines Querof Dumbartaneschyr now Consistis (Being for the maist part vassellis and Tennentis to the Duke of Lenox and uther nobilmen) ar not abill to send out Commissioneris to Parliament, con ventiounes and upon publict meitingis Thair being onlie nyne frie halders 3 and vassellis to the Kingis Majestie tharin and all of thame (except one) of small and meine estatis Qaherby they ar forced to elect Sherefes that ar not vassellis to the Kingis Majestie," and it ends by declaring "that in all tyme comeing the said Sevine parochines of Inchecalleoche or Buchanane, Drymen Balfrone Fintrie Killerne Strablaine and Campsie and all fra tharin west ar and sail be of the Sherefdom of Dumbartane - baith in Sheriff Cowrtes, Justice Aires and all other dewtees."

This Act, however, never became law, as the Earl of Mar, who was Sheriff of Stirlingshire, used his influence so effectually that the King declined to sanction it, and Strathblane and the other six Lennox parishes remained without further question in Stirlingshire. The Parish of Strathblane is bounded on the north and west by the Parish of Killearn, on the south by East or New Kilpatrick and Baldernock, and on the east by Campsie. Its length from east to west is about 5 miles, its breadth from north to south about 4 miles, and its area is 9,217 imperial acres. Strathblane is composed of a strath on both sides of the Blane Water, broadening as the stream rolls on, with the green Lennox or Strathblane Hills on the north and the higher lands of the parish on the south. These lands to the soath form a plateau of aboat two miles wide, which rises abraptly from the valley on the one side and sinks with an almost eqaal declivity into the lower-lying lands of East Kilpatrick on the other.

The Manse, which stands near the village of Edenkill, on the soath side of the Blane, is 241 feet above the sea. The " Earl's Seat," the highest point on the 1 Reg. Priv. Council, vol. ii. p. 241. : Act Par. Car. I. 1641. 3 Probahly Semple of Fulwood, Bontine ot Ardoch, Campbell of Ardentinny, Macfarlane of Arrochar, Colquhoun of Balvie, Campbell of Carrick, Douglas of Mains, Colquhoun of Luss, Houstoun of that ilk. The lairds of Ardentinny and Carrick for lands in Rosneath, the laird of Houstoun for lands in Kilpatrick. EARLY STRATHBLANE. 3 north-east side of the parish, rises to the height of 1,895 feet> and the " Gallow Knowe " of Mugdock,1 which is the highest ground on the south side, is 585 feet above the sea. The Blane, a tribatary of the Endrick, is the principal stream of the parish.

It rises in the north-east corner of it, flows nearly dae soath till it reaches Ballagan, whence it rans in a north-westerly direction till it enters the Parish of Killearn, receiving in its coarse the waters of many little barns which empty themselves into it from either side. The Allander, the next in importance, a tributary of the Kelvin, rises in the Kilpatrick Hills and forms for aboat three miles the boundary of the parish on the south-west, and into it flow all the streams which do not empty them selves into the Blane. Strathblane abounds in lochs, nearly 150 acres of its surface being covered with water. Loch Ardennan or Ardinning is the largest, and following in order are Craigallian, Mugdock, Dumbroch, Carbeth, and Craigmaddie lochs. There are also artificial lakes of small size within the policies of Craigend Castle and Carbeth Guthrie, and the Deil's Craig dam and two others of smaller size help to feed Milndavie Mill.

The other natural features of Strathblane are those usually seen where trap rock abounds, and are here very interesting and beautiful. The Strathblane Hills, including Dumgoyne and Dumfoyne, on the north of the strath, while they afford the finest pasturage, as is always the case in this geological formation, are broken here and there by bold precipices and rocky terraces and well-wooded glens. At the eastern end of the valley stands in solitary grandeur Dunglass, a basaltic rock some 400 feet high, and on the hillside opposite is the fine waterfall — the Spout of Ballagan — on either side of which are the " Ballagan beds," dear to geologists from the interesting strata they display. About two miles from this point down the Blane the wooded hills of Dangoiach and Park Hill — or Court Hill, as it is sometimes called — rise abruptly from the plain, and the south side of the strath has also its rocky cliffs and wooded terraces and fine basaltic columns, particularly at the Pillar Craig on the Craigallian estate.

The soil in the valley is alluvial and rich, that on the plateau to the south is peaty and less fertile. The name of the parish — Strathblane — means, of course, the valley of Blane, or Blane Valley, but opinions differ as to what " Blane " means. The earliest known spellings of the name of the parish are Strathblachan, Strath blathane, Strathblahane, or Strablayan, Strathblane being comparatively modern. When the Rev. Mr. Gibb (he was not yet D.D.) wrote his account of Strathblane in 1796 for Sir John Sinclair's Statistical Account of Scotland, he explained that The old name of the high ground just behind Craigend Castle, and where the gallows of the Barony of Mugdock stood. " Blane is a contraction of two Gaelic words signifying Warm River." The Rev. Dr. Hamilton in the New Statistical Account, and no doubt copying from his predecessor, gives the same derivation, and adds, " The strath of the Warm River is peculiarly descriptive of the valley, which is sheltered in almost every direction from the violence of the winds," and writers of gazetteers and other works translate the word in the same way, faithfully and unthinkingly copying as their manner is.

It is true that Blaith-Blaithe signifies in Gaelic warm, and A-An in the same language is water, but as the Blane is neither warmer nor colder than any other stream, and as the reverend doctor is rather romancing, and making his description of the place sait the sapposed etymology, when he says Strathblane is " sheltered in almost every direction from the violence of the winds," this translation is senseless, and no doabt is incorrect. St. Blane or St. Blaan was a most respectable old Scottish saint educated by St. Cathan or St. Cattan, his uncle, and he certainly appears in such names as Kilblain and perhaps Dunblane. There is a well in the strath called " Blane's Well," and there is also a place in the neighbourhood called " Garcattoun," and this might be named after his uncle St. Cattan.

He was a saint, too, known in the Lennox, and had a chapel on the lands of Colgrain.1 If it coald be shown that he was ever called Blachan or Blathan, then there would be no doubt that Strathblane means " The valley of St. Blane," but unfortunately this cannot be shown.2 St. Blaithmaic was a saint of Royal Irish lineage, living in the eighth century. By removing the male, which is simply a term of affection, we arrive at his real name, St. Blaith, which might have passed into Blaithan or Blathan, and thence into Blane. Blaith is derived from Blath, a flower, and the Latin name of the saint is accordingly Florus or Florigenius. Life, in St. Blaithmaic's days, seems to have been very secure in Ireland, and so the saint, who had a great desire for martyrdom, came over to Scotland and attained his wishes here.

It is possible, thoagh very improbable, that Strathblane is named after this worthy man. Blatha = Flora was the name of several sainted virgins in Irish martyrology, and as Irish saints were indefatigable in their efforts to convert Scotland, one of these holy sisters may have visited Strathblane, and a grateful populace may have com memorated the event by naming the place " The valley of St. Blatha." All that need be said of this etymology is that it is a little more unlikely than the last. Blaidh-Blaidhean is the same as Bloigh or Blaigh-Blaighean, the dh or gh being silent in both, thus we have something like some of the old spellings of Strathblane, as well as the present sound. Blaidh, which is the same as the Cymric Blaen, means, among other things, a 1 Irving's Dumbartonshire, p. 441. - Mr. Walcott in The Ancient Church of Scotland, p. 196, implies that Strathblane was dedicated to St. Blane, but this is a mere guess.

EARL Y STRATHBLANE. 5 point or extremity. The valley of Strathblane is sapposed by many geologists to have been the end — towards the east — of Loch Lomond, or of an arm of the sea running up in this direction after the water ceased to flow through the valley from the Atlantic to the German Ocean ; and there is a place called Quinloch = Kinloch near Duntreath in the parish where there is no loch now. Kinloch means the apper end of a loch. Strathblaidhean or Strathblaighean = Strathblahane or Strath blathan, may thas be the strath at the extremity, i.e., the strath at the end of the loch or sea. This etymology, thoagh not thoroughly satisfactory, is perhaps better than the old one of " The valley of the Warm River." We pass, however, from the subject, painfully aware that a difficult and interesting question has not been conclusively answered.

In the early dawn of history, Strathblane formed part of the province of a people called by the Romans the Damnonii or Damnii. They were a Cymric branch of the great Celtic race who originally came from the East. Their country was called Y Gogledd or the North, and afterwards Cumbria or Strathclyde. Strath blane lies in the part of it called by the natives of Roman times Reged or Mureiff, the latter a Cymric word cognate with the Latin murus, a wall, and denoting the district which lay immediately to the north of the great wall of Antoninus, traces of which may still be seen in the neighbouring parish of East or New Kilpatrick. Placed thus close to the civilizing influence of the Romans, the inhabitants of Strathblane were probably Christian, and doubtless far in advance of the wild Picts, their neighbours on the north and east, and the Scots, their neighbours on the west — the former a Pagan race ; and it is no great stretch of imagination to believe that compared with other parts of Alban, as Scotland was then called, Strathclyde, including Strathblane, was, when the Romans finally departed about the beginning of the fifth century, a land of comparative civilization and religion.

It soon, however, became the battlefield of races, for the Picts and Scots, and the Saxons, who afterwards became their neighbours on the east and south, were all anxious to displace the Cymry and settle themselves in Cumbria, and the brave old warriors of Strathblane no doabt foaght against these Pagans, shoalder to shoulder with the other men of Strathclyde, and for centaries maintained their independence. It was daring this straggle for life and lands that the great Cymric hero Arthar — " the faaltless king" of the poets — first saw the light. Modern research has proved clearly that there was an Arthur, but it has also proved that the King Arthur of the Middle Age romances, and of Tennyson and other poets, never existed. The real Arthur's history is related by Gildas in the sixth century, Nennius in the seventh, and sung in the same age by Merlin, the poet of Tweeds dale, and Llywarch Hen, and Taliesin, " the bright-browed," both poets of the eastern part of the Lennox — perhaps of Strathblane.

Arthur was no doubt a Cymric general or Guledig of Strathclyde, and his celebrated twelve battles were fought in or near this district. Kay and Bedivere, Maban, Gerant, and others, knights of the fabulous king, were also real Cymric warriors of Tweedsdale, Clydes dale, and the Lennox, fellow-soldiers or followers of the real Arthur.1 Some of our hero's most important victories were gained near Loch Lomond, and the mountain called " Ben Arthur " (better known as the " Cobbler ") at the head of Loch Long, was doubtless so named by the victorious Cymric army in honour of their great leader. It was when pursuing the flying Pagans, who, however, often turned to renew the combat, that traces of Arthar were left in the Strathblane district, and the great boalder stone on the hill a little above Craigbarnet, near which are the remains of old forts and lines of defence, was probably called " Clach Arthar," " Arthar's Stone," the name it still bears, to commemorate one of his victories.

But besides Arthur there were other great leaders whose deeds in Strathblane are celebrated by the old British poets already mentioned. There was Daronwy, who fought, we are told, " between Dineiddyn and Dineiddwg," the former Edinburgh and the latter Mugdock,2 and there was Gwallawg, too, of the kingly race of Coel Hen, and his brother Cymric kings. Daronwy, it must be admitted, is a very shadowy personage, and Taliesin's poem in his honour is all but incomprehensible, though it apparently means that he was the hero of victories over the Gwyddel Ffichti or Picts at several places, including a spot between Edinburgh and Mugdock. Gwallawg, however, is a more substantial hero. He was king of one of the petty states into which Cumbria was divided before it was erected into the Kingdom of Strathclyde in the year 573 by Rydderch Hael — Roderick the Gracious — the friend and patron of the blessed St. Mungo.

Gwallawg, with his brother Cumbrian kings Roderick, Urien and Morcant, have a local interest too, for it was they who fought and defeated, about the year 570, Hussa, son of Ida, the Saxon king of Bernicia or Northumberland, at " Arddunion," now Ardennan or Ardinning, in Strathblane.3 1 See Arthurian Localities, J. S. Stuart Glennie ; The Four Ancient Books of Wales and Celtic Scotland, W. F. Skene ; and History and Poetry of the Scottish Border, Professor Veitch. 2 Four Ancient Books of Wales, vol. i. p. 270, line 51. Mr. Skene in a note, vol. ii. p. 401, says " Dineidyn is Edinburgh, Dineidwc probably another name for Magedawc or Mugdock." His reason for saying so is this — Mugdock appears in two forms, Mocetauc or Magedawc, and Maesy dawc, and as magh is a field or plain in Gaelic, and maes the same in Welsh or Cymric, there seems to be little doubt as to the meaning of the first syllable.

The word probably means the plain or field of Edawc. Din is the Cymric form of Dun — a fort, Dineiddwg means therefore the Fort of Eiddwg or Edawc, who may have been a Cymric chief, with his castle Dineiddwg or Dinedawc standing in a commanding position on his estate Maeseiddwg or Maesedawc. 3 " Contra ilium (Hussa, son of Ida, who reigned 567 to 574) quatuor reges Urbgen et Riderch hen (Hael?) et Guallauc et Morcant dimicaverunt " — Chronicles of the Scots and Picts, pp. xci. and 12 ; "A Battle in Arddunion," Book of Taliesin, xi. See also The Four Ancient Books of Wales, vol. i. pp.*249, 337, etc., vol. ii p. 402, and Celtic Scotland, W. F. Skene, vol. i. p. 156. EARL Y STRA THBLANE. 7 One can picture with little difficulty the great army of invading Saxons moving westward by Kilsyth and Campsie, and gaining confidence as they advanced unop posed into the heart of Cumbria, and one can picture, too, the Cymric kings and their army awaiting the advancing enemy on their chosen battlefield, with part of their forces in the valley to the west of Dunglass and their main body stationed on the high plateau around and to the west of Muirhouse.

The name of the rock at the north-west corner of Loch Ardinning, Catcraig, i.e. Cadcraig, the " Battle Rock," tells plainly that a fierce struggle took place there; and in 1861, a few hundred yards to the east of the Manse, in a cutting for the new railway down the strath, an interesting discovery was made of an immense deposit of human and horse bones, showing very clearly that there, on the side of the Blane, the final stand was made and the battle ended with great slaughter. Probably the standing stone in Strathblane Churchyard and the other great stone near Broadgate Farm mark the resting-places of Cymric heroes who did their share of the battle on the north side of the valley.1 Gwallawg is a very favourite hero of Taliesin, who in his enthusiasm ends one of his fine poems thus — " He sees not a hero who saw not Gwallawg.