OS1/10/44/2A

Continued entries/extra info

[Page:] 2A
Parish of Sanquhar -- Co. [County] of Dumfries

of the succefsion [succession] and decease of that prince.- This Castle was the chief residence of the original Barons of the district,- the ancient family of Rofs; [Ross] merged subse=
=quently by the marriage of a daughter of that family into that of the Crichtons, ancestors of the admirable Crichton who was publicly hanged for murder at Westminster H[all]
It was sold by the Seventh Lord Crichton in 1630 to Sir William Douglas Viscount Drumlanrig afterwards Earl of Queensberry, and was occupied by that family before the present Castle
of Drumlanrig was built.- It stood several seiges previous to the union, an incident in which is commemorated by the strongest and most entire part of that Structure well
known as Wallace Tower, in a narrow stair of which - as tradition affirms - the Scottish Patriot stood and fought single-handed with the English, on the occasion of an onslought,
made by them.- The existing ruins measure 172 feet long and 172 feet broad, the walls are about from 8 to 4 feet thick - the lower part has been vaulted, and the structure seems from existing
traces to have been surrounded by a double fofse† [fosse].- The existing ruins are now fast mouldering away through neglect to fill up the crevices in the walls, and give certain indications
of even the Patriot's Tower itself being ere long numbered among the things that were and of ingratitude thereby of it's local Worthies. Between Sanquhar Castle and Ryehill, the site of
and ancient Hostelry and religious establishment is pointed out by locals and adverted to by several Authorities and which appears by some ancient documents extant to have been called Sene[char]
or Sanchar Hospital,- It is said to have been an extensive pile of building and to have had a Chapel attached, but who were it's founders or the dedicatory Saint of the Chapel is not
known, tho' [though] some people in the locality afsign [assign] that of St. [Saint] Mary to the latter.- The earliest notice taken of it, appears by existing documents to be in 1296, when Bartholomew de Englisham
the Chaplain and Superintendent of the Establishment sware fealty to Edward I. Carved Stones were removed from this site, which are yet extant in the walls of an adjoining Cottage.- The Author of the History of Sanquhar has pointed out the sites of several Strongholds connected
with feudal times.- In close proximity if not on the precise Site of the present farm-steading of Ryehill, the Site of an ancient Castle originally pofsefsed [possessed] by a branch of the aforesaid Rofs [Ross] family
has been shewn.- Whether this building was ever honoured with the Name of Ryehill Castle, there is no existing evidence to shew, "but, says Simpson,- the Site of the edifice is well known, an[d]
"the old people remember when the Stones of the Structure that remained after the lapse of many generations were removed for other building purposes" The Rofses [Rosses] of Ryehill are frequently
mentioned by historical Authors,- which family being Lords of the Barony the Mound situate a little to the South of Ryehill may with propriety be considered the Mote or Moat of their Lordsh[ips]
"On the Farm of South Mains and closely adjacent to Goosehill stood a Castle the trench around which is still visible" Several relics have been found on this Site.- About 2 miles N.E.E, [North North East] from
Ryehill the Site of Another Castle is represented by An Artificial Mound.. Examiners state, that this Mound was also the Site of a Farm-house in more recent times - probably a remnant
of the Stronghold itself, instances of which are of frequent occurrence.- The Name of itself however, may Considered a Confirmatory indication,- Castle Gilmour being generally applied in
locality to this mound.- The Name Glenrae Castle is applied to a spot verging on the extreme Northern point of Parish, reputed in locality to be the Site of a Baronial str[ong=]
=hold, which may be confirmed by indications of entrenchments on the ground, and foundations which were partly dug up at the Commencement of this Century.- A few chains below
Blackeddie Bridge on the River Nith there is still visible a small fragment of masonry which formed part of one of the piers of an ancient Bridge.- There is no notable inc[--]
of this Structure beyond its having fallen down prior to 1661, as in that year "An Act of Parliament was pafsed [passed] for making a voluntary collection in all the Chu[rches]
"South of the Forth to afsist [assist] in rebuilding the Bridge over the Nith at the Burgh of Sanquhar" Whether the Act had signally failed in eliciting a voluntary contribution or the
Worthies of the locality had afsigned [assigned] a different Site for another bridge is not known.- Dr. [Doctor] Simpson adverts cursorily to objects in locality in some way connected with the ancie[nt]
history of locality - of these however, no indications exist on the ground.-

† This fofse [fosse] cannot be traced

[Page is dated bottom left as:]
Decr. [December] 1856.

Transcriber's notes

Some text on the image is obscured at the binding. All but one I can guess at, some not - see [--].

Re Lord Crichton and the hanging, there is some confusion over the designation of the Lord who was hanged: this document states the 7th lord sold the castle in 1630, and Scottish-Places.info relates that it was the 6th Lord Robert who was hanged in 1612. These two are consistent. Wikipedia and thepeerage.com have entries stating it was the 8th Lord who was hanged.