Brunston Castle (5 of 5)
I can't figure what has gone on here! This is the south wall of the main block again, just along from the previous photo. It appears to show a blocked up arch - it's a bit on the wide side to be a normal doorway, but I guess that's what it must have been. The masonry within the archway, at first glance, appears to be the same as the rest of wall, but when you compare the mortar, the masonry that appears to have been used to block up the archway has much better, and presumably much more recent, mortar. Neither MacGibbon & Ross nor the Canmore website make mention of this feature.
[Coninued from previous photo]
"In the monethe of November", says the Historie of the Kennedies "thair was ane meiting at Craigneil (a castle I have visited previously) betuix Sir John Grahame of Knockdolyane (another castle I have visited previously) and his wyffe, and because thay could not agrie, thay appoyntit to meitt agayne the sext day of Decembar, in the tounne of Air." Knockdolian's wife was a sister of Bargany's and although it was a family concern, it was agreed that Bargany himself should not go to Ayr, on account of the feud with Cassillis, whose gate the road to Ayr went past. The lairds of Auchindrane, Carleton (Killochan) and a few others only were to be present.
Bargany however, was having nothing of this and accompanied by ten or twelve of his own men, rode to Ayr, passing within a quarter of a mile Cassillis. The Earl couldn't fail to hear of this and started gathered his men. 'Spies' were sent to Ayr to warn him of the return of Bargany.
Bargany was made aware of the danger he was in, but thinking he had sufficient men with him, declined to wait while sending for more. Contrary to the advice of his friends, Bargany set out from Ayr, with an escort of 80 men, on December 11th "a day so thick with snow and drift that thair was nane culd seine the lenthe of ane lanse befoir him."
At the Brig of Doon, they saw two of Cassillis' scouts (I guess the snow had stopped), who they managed to capture. After further discussion, Bargany divided his horsemen into two companies, giving command of the rear company to the Laird of Carleton. As they came to the Brockloch, a mile north of Maybole, they saw the earl of Cassillis riding out of the town, followed by the men he had been collecting. Bargany made a move to ride around the Earl's position, but Cassillis moved to cut him off.
Having passed round the swamp at the end of the loch, the two sides grew closer, whereupon the Earl's hagbutters opened fire on Bargany's men. Seeing that his own hagbutters were exposed to attack from the enemy horesmen, Bargany moved forward to protect them, within range of the enemy hagbutters, with the result that one horse was killed and Bargany's brother had the bridle of his horse shot in two, which caused the animal to bolt, throwing its rider, who dislocated his shoulder.
At this point, things started to go pearshaped for Bargany. He and a small group of five of his horsemen had by now crossed the Brockloch Burn, but the remainder of his followers, who a short time before, at the Brig of Doon, had pledged to 'support him to the death', hung back. Most probably this was the result of confusion and lack of command. Either way, Bargany's small group were now fired on by the Earl's musketeers and then charged by a group of thirty horsemen, commanded by a Captain Foster or Forrester.
Notwithstanding the disparity in numbers, Bargany and his companions charged gallantly, but with predictable results! Casualties on the earl's side consisted of "the young laird of Grimat, who wes strukin throw the chin and he and his horse were bayth strukin to the eird (?). Row Cunninghame, broder of the laird of Pochquhairne, was strukin at the knie with ane lance and out at the buttock (which doesn't bare thinking about!). Captain Foster's horse wes hurtt with suordis and his pistolatt strikin out of his hand, himselff, heafing ane steall hatt, wes dyverse tymes strukin on the heid bot the same preservit him. Richard Spense, maister of the houshold to the lord, was slayne by the laird of Clonkaird, and sundry horses were hurtt."
"On Bargany's side, Auchindrane was schott and hurt in the thie and his horse also. James Bannatyne's horse wes slayne. Edward Irwing was slayne by ane strike of ane lanse; Johne McAlexander was wes hurt with ane schott in the thie." All his five followers were thus killed of disabled save one, but still Bargany pressed on. Breaking through his opponents, he rode straight for the earl himself, but the horsemen around Cassillis now assailed Bargany "specially Hew Kennedy of Garequhairne, Patrick Rippethe and Quinteyne Crawfurd of Sillyhoill. Garequhairne brake ane lanse on the laird and the uther twa strak att him with suordis and so forced him to reteir." At this point "ane fellow callit Johne Dick, haikitt (threw) ane lanse at him and straik him throw the craig and throw the thropill (throat)." With the lanse stuck in his throat, Bargany was barely able to breath and before he could get away, "Quinteyne Crawfurd cuming up to him, strekis his sword to his face, for he had no force to hald out ane straik, bot his hrose, being ane verry gude gelding, buir him back to his awin men."
At this point, the skirmish was effectively over. A number of Bargany's men, seeing the state of things, had already left. Bargany was taken up, the lanse pulled from his throat and he was then taken to the house of Dinehame - a name no longer to be found on current maps, but only a quarter of a mile away. Here, he was somehow able to indicate that his men should leave, which they did, leaving him in the company of a boy. A short while later the Earl of Cassillis rode up and insisted that Bargany should be finished off, but his men dissuaded him, believing that if he wasn't about to die anyway, he could be executed by judicial means, the earl being the 'judge-ordiner' of the county anyway.
A day or two later, Bargany had been taken to Ayr. Cassillis applied to the king for a commission to try Bargany, in which he was unsuccessful and Bargany applied to have Auchindraine and those taken prisoner with him released, in which he was successful. The condition of Bargany himself however, deteriorated. "Doctor Low handelitt his woundis, quha na skill, bot laid to plaisteris to the wondis, not considering the danger of the bluid quhilk wes fallin doune to the hairtt. And that was the caus of his deathe. He was bot about the age of XXV yieris quhane he was slayne."
(I have spent quite a bit of time trying to work out exactly where the 'battle' took place. The above description is reasonably clear as to the general locality. It states it was north of Maybole, which is logical, as that would have been the direct route Bargany would most probably have followed from Ayr to Bargany (unless he was going our of his way to avoid the Earl). The Brock Loch no longer exists, but the Brockloch Burn is shown on maps a mile north of Maybole. Tranter however, states that the event took place near West Enoch and I have read elsewhere of the event being fought at Pennyglen. Both of these places are west of Maybole and well off the direct route from Ayr to Bargany, which if correct, would suggest Bargany was trying to avoid passing Cassillis and Maybole."
Brunston Castle (5 of 5)
I can't figure what has gone on here! This is the south wall of the main block again, just along from the previous photo. It appears to show a blocked up arch - it's a bit on the wide side to be a normal doorway, but I guess that's what it must have been. The masonry within the archway, at first glance, appears to be the same as the rest of wall, but when you compare the mortar, the masonry that appears to have been used to block up the archway has much better, and presumably much more recent, mortar. Neither MacGibbon & Ross nor the Canmore website make mention of this feature.
[Coninued from previous photo]
"In the monethe of November", says the Historie of the Kennedies "thair was ane meiting at Craigneil (a castle I have visited previously) betuix Sir John Grahame of Knockdolyane (another castle I have visited previously) and his wyffe, and because thay could not agrie, thay appoyntit to meitt agayne the sext day of Decembar, in the tounne of Air." Knockdolian's wife was a sister of Bargany's and although it was a family concern, it was agreed that Bargany himself should not go to Ayr, on account of the feud with Cassillis, whose gate the road to Ayr went past. The lairds of Auchindrane, Carleton (Killochan) and a few others only were to be present.
Bargany however, was having nothing of this and accompanied by ten or twelve of his own men, rode to Ayr, passing within a quarter of a mile Cassillis. The Earl couldn't fail to hear of this and started gathered his men. 'Spies' were sent to Ayr to warn him of the return of Bargany.
Bargany was made aware of the danger he was in, but thinking he had sufficient men with him, declined to wait while sending for more. Contrary to the advice of his friends, Bargany set out from Ayr, with an escort of 80 men, on December 11th "a day so thick with snow and drift that thair was nane culd seine the lenthe of ane lanse befoir him."
At the Brig of Doon, they saw two of Cassillis' scouts (I guess the snow had stopped), who they managed to capture. After further discussion, Bargany divided his horsemen into two companies, giving command of the rear company to the Laird of Carleton. As they came to the Brockloch, a mile north of Maybole, they saw the earl of Cassillis riding out of the town, followed by the men he had been collecting. Bargany made a move to ride around the Earl's position, but Cassillis moved to cut him off.
Having passed round the swamp at the end of the loch, the two sides grew closer, whereupon the Earl's hagbutters opened fire on Bargany's men. Seeing that his own hagbutters were exposed to attack from the enemy horesmen, Bargany moved forward to protect them, within range of the enemy hagbutters, with the result that one horse was killed and Bargany's brother had the bridle of his horse shot in two, which caused the animal to bolt, throwing its rider, who dislocated his shoulder.
At this point, things started to go pearshaped for Bargany. He and a small group of five of his horsemen had by now crossed the Brockloch Burn, but the remainder of his followers, who a short time before, at the Brig of Doon, had pledged to 'support him to the death', hung back. Most probably this was the result of confusion and lack of command. Either way, Bargany's small group were now fired on by the Earl's musketeers and then charged by a group of thirty horsemen, commanded by a Captain Foster or Forrester.
Notwithstanding the disparity in numbers, Bargany and his companions charged gallantly, but with predictable results! Casualties on the earl's side consisted of "the young laird of Grimat, who wes strukin throw the chin and he and his horse were bayth strukin to the eird (?). Row Cunninghame, broder of the laird of Pochquhairne, was strukin at the knie with ane lance and out at the buttock (which doesn't bare thinking about!). Captain Foster's horse wes hurtt with suordis and his pistolatt strikin out of his hand, himselff, heafing ane steall hatt, wes dyverse tymes strukin on the heid bot the same preservit him. Richard Spense, maister of the houshold to the lord, was slayne by the laird of Clonkaird, and sundry horses were hurtt."
"On Bargany's side, Auchindrane was schott and hurt in the thie and his horse also. James Bannatyne's horse wes slayne. Edward Irwing was slayne by ane strike of ane lanse; Johne McAlexander was wes hurt with ane schott in the thie." All his five followers were thus killed of disabled save one, but still Bargany pressed on. Breaking through his opponents, he rode straight for the earl himself, but the horsemen around Cassillis now assailed Bargany "specially Hew Kennedy of Garequhairne, Patrick Rippethe and Quinteyne Crawfurd of Sillyhoill. Garequhairne brake ane lanse on the laird and the uther twa strak att him with suordis and so forced him to reteir." At this point "ane fellow callit Johne Dick, haikitt (threw) ane lanse at him and straik him throw the craig and throw the thropill (throat)." With the lanse stuck in his throat, Bargany was barely able to breath and before he could get away, "Quinteyne Crawfurd cuming up to him, strekis his sword to his face, for he had no force to hald out ane straik, bot his hrose, being ane verry gude gelding, buir him back to his awin men."
At this point, the skirmish was effectively over. A number of Bargany's men, seeing the state of things, had already left. Bargany was taken up, the lanse pulled from his throat and he was then taken to the house of Dinehame - a name no longer to be found on current maps, but only a quarter of a mile away. Here, he was somehow able to indicate that his men should leave, which they did, leaving him in the company of a boy. A short while later the Earl of Cassillis rode up and insisted that Bargany should be finished off, but his men dissuaded him, believing that if he wasn't about to die anyway, he could be executed by judicial means, the earl being the 'judge-ordiner' of the county anyway.
A day or two later, Bargany had been taken to Ayr. Cassillis applied to the king for a commission to try Bargany, in which he was unsuccessful and Bargany applied to have Auchindraine and those taken prisoner with him released, in which he was successful. The condition of Bargany himself however, deteriorated. "Doctor Low handelitt his woundis, quha na skill, bot laid to plaisteris to the wondis, not considering the danger of the bluid quhilk wes fallin doune to the hairtt. And that was the caus of his deathe. He was bot about the age of XXV yieris quhane he was slayne."
(I have spent quite a bit of time trying to work out exactly where the 'battle' took place. The above description is reasonably clear as to the general locality. It states it was north of Maybole, which is logical, as that would have been the direct route Bargany would most probably have followed from Ayr to Bargany (unless he was going our of his way to avoid the Earl). The Brock Loch no longer exists, but the Brockloch Burn is shown on maps a mile north of Maybole. Tranter however, states that the event took place near West Enoch and I have read elsewhere of the event being fought at Pennyglen. Both of these places are west of Maybole and well off the direct route from Ayr to Bargany, which if correct, would suggest Bargany was trying to avoid passing Cassillis and Maybole."