Garthland Castle

Garthland Castle was a castle that was located near Garthland Mains, Stoneykirk, Rhins of Galloway, Wigtownshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.

The castle was possibly built in AD1211, as a datestone bearing that date has been discovered within the Garthland Mains estate.

It would appear that further extensions in AD1274 were undertaken, as another datestone has been re-used within the Garthland Mains estate.

The castle was seat of the family of M'Dowall of Garthland, Barony of Garthland, Stoneykirk, Wigtownshire.

In AD1295 Sir Dougal MacDougall (McDowell) had a Charter from his 3rd cousin, King John Baliol Lord of Galloway, John de Balliol, confirming the Barony of Garochloyne (Garthland) with Lougan (Logan) and Elrig in the Rhins of Galloway, Stoneykirk, Wigtownshire.

History
Alexander of Argyll or Alexander of Lorne, also known as Alexander MacDougall (Alasdair MacDubhgaill; died 1310), was a Scottish magnate from the late 13th and early 14th century, and was chief of Clan MacDougall. Alexander was the son of Ewen MacDougall, Lord of Argyll. Although the details of Alexander's early life are largely unknown, he appears to have succeeded to his father's position as Lord of Argyll and Lorne and head of the MacDougall kindred after the latter's death in 1268. Alexander appears to have been named after King Alexander III of Scotland.

In AD1275 Alexander MacDougall was involved in a Scottish invasion against the King of Man of the Isle of Man, an island near Wigtownshire Galloway south-west Scotland. (In 1296 the widow of the King of Man signed the Ragman Roll with men from Wigtownshire.)

n 1284 he joined with other Scottish noblemen who acknowledged Margaret of Norway as the heir of Alexander. As the succession crisis resulting from the unexpected deaths of Alexander III (1286) and then his designated successor Margaret (1290) developed, Argyll took a prominent part in the succession dispute. He was married to the sister of John II Comyn, Lord of Badenoch, key ally and kinsman of the Balliols. Alexander found himself as a firm Balliol supporter as the Balliol's vied against the Bruces to take the succession. He served as one of John de Balliol's auditors during the Great Cause, and after the latter's accession as King, Alexander was a key ally and helped King John establish his sheriffdoms in the west.

The alliance between MacDougall and Balliol developed from and caused an alliance between MacDougall's main regional rival, Alexander Og MacDonald, and the Bruces.

In AD1296 Alexander MacDougall was captured during the Battle of Dunbar by English forces and was imprisoned at Berwick Castle until his release in 1297.

After the deposition of Balliol in 1296, MacDougall opposed the power of his new overlord Edward I of England. The failure of Balliol's kingship also helped to fuel conflict between the two west Galloway kindreds as part of the civil and international conflict known today as the First War of Scottish Independence; in 1299 MacDougall killed Alexander Og. (Og may mean son or grandson)

In the Scottish Archives, Papers of the Dalrymple Family, Earls of Stair, GD135/783 2 Aug 1671, Lands of Leffnoll and Auchindarrochmark, an Extract Great Seal charter of resignation to William Mcdowall [McDowall] son of Sir James Mcdowall thereof, kt., of the lands and barony of Garthland (defined), resigned by said Sir James (Mcdowall) and William and Andrew Houstoune [Houston] lately of Garthland, and sasine dated 26 August 1671 following thereon. (Sasine recorded 4 September 1671).