Uchtred MacDowall of Garthland

UTHRED MCDOWALL OF GARTHLAND

Evidence from the National Records of Scotland

                   1

[1570]: Charter by Mariota Campbell lady of Corswell and John Kennedy of Ardmillan her spouse, to Uchtred McDowell of Garthland and his heirs, of her half of the 45 merkland of Corswell and of the 2½ merkland of Mye and ½ of the 10½ merklands of Areis, Balgawyne Dowloch and Carnbrok in the parishes of Kirkcum and Stanykirk for an unnamed sum of money, to be held by Uchtred of the Crown rendering service due and wont and reserving liferent to the granter. Wit:- David Kennedy in Maxweltoun, George Campbell "our servitor", Gilbert McDowell in Balker and George Kennedy of Dalquhorane. no tags or seals. National Records of Scotland, National Records of Scotland, Papers of the Stewart family, Earls of Galloway (Galloway Charters), reference GD138/1/125

                   2

11 July 1576: Instrument of Sasine at hand of William Hegait N.P. narrating that John Campbell, brother of John Campbell in Logane, and Mariota Kennedy spouse of first named John, were infeft by George Kennedy of Balmaclanochan as bailie of Mariota Campbell lady Corswell with consent of John Kennedy of Ardmillan her spouse and of Uchtred McDowell of Garthland her son and heir apparent, in the 20/- land of Glengyre and 20/- land of Nether Carnboy in parish of Kirkcum, reserving liferent to the granter. Wit:- to precept were Hugh Campbell of Killocht younger, Gilbert McDowell in Balker and Alex. McDowell his son.- and to the sasine, - the said Hew Campbell, John Ross fiar of Drumgraing, John Ross in Carneboy and Thomas Ross there. National Records of Scotland, Papers of the Stewart family, Earls of Galloway (Galloway Charters), reference GD138/1/136

Uchtred, the 10th Laird of Garthland, was first married to Margaret Kennedy, secondly to Margaret Stewart.

From Uchtred, the clan branch in Ireland started to spell the name Macdowell and McDowell rather than MacDowall or McDowall.

e) MARGARET .

m firstly ANDREW Stewart Master of Ochiltree, son of ANDREW Stewart 2nd Lord Ochiltree & his wife Agnes Cuningham (-1578).

m secondly UCHTRED Macdowall of Garchland.

http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/SCOTTISH%20NOBILITY.htm#Andrew2Avan...

Leo MacDowell writes:

The Ruthven Raid

The Event that precipitated our family's flight from Scotland to Ulster, to some degree, was the Ruthven Raid and its aftermath. In the so-called Raid of Ruthven, the Earl of Gowrie and some of his fellow-nobles (possibly including Ucthred Macdowall, 10th of Garthland who was implicated as a conspirator) seized the young King James IV and, for some ten months, held him captive. In 1581, Esme Stewart was created Earl of Lennox. He was in support of Queen Mary and acknowledged Catholic concerns at a time when the Reformation was well established in Scotland. The Presbyterians believed Lennox to be an agent for the Counter-Reformation and a Catholic spy.

    Although both the King and Lennox had declared themselves for the Reformation, rulings made and appointments given by James, particularly those overturning General Assembly proceedings, had the Presbyterians convinced he was being influenced by Lennox. William Ruthven, 1st Earl of Gowrie, was the head of Scotland’s militant Presbyterians. Such was their fear of Lennox being near the King they staged a coup. While the King was hunting in Atholl in August 1582, he was abducted by Gowrie and imprisoned in his House of Ruthven until, the next morning, he signed a document proclaiming himself to be quite free and that Lennox was to be banished from Scotland. Gowrie led a new government which gave the Presbyterians ruling powers, all the while keeping James their captive. Lennox, who had moved back to France, died in 1583.

    Taking advantage of this, these nobles virtually ruled the country, making friends with England and distancing Scotland from France. They passed laws against the Papists, favoring the Protestant ministers. But with the young king’s escape from his captors the situation changed. Believing that the ministers had instigated the Raid, the King turned his wrath upon the (Scottish Presbyterian) Church. Then in June that year the young King escaped from his imprisonment. Gowrie was charged with treason and beheaded.

    Uchtred Macdowall, 10th Laird of Gartland was implicated in the conspiracy (Ruthven Raid). It is not known what part Uchtred played in the conspiracy, it was sufficient for him to require a royal pardon in 1584. Uchtred Macdowall had retoured before the High Sheriff at Wigtown, on 29 February 1548, as son and heir to John Macdowall of Garthland slain at Pinkie Cleugh, universally reputed chief of the name and had Bonds of Manrent from MacDouall of Logan and MacDowall of Freugh and others as their chief. Uchtred entered a feud with Lochinvar upon the murder of Gilbert Macdowall of Barjarg. Uchtred for his part in the Ruthven Raid was called to trial but had his summons deleted by the King’s warrant, 19 August 1584 and had a fresh charter from King James VI of the Baronies of Garthland and Corswall.

    Under the administration of the Earl of Arran, a subservient Scottish Parliament passed the legislation known as the Black Acts, making the king supreme in all causes and over all persons. The General Assembly was forbidden to meet without his permission, and the effective jurisdiction of the Church was lodged in the Episcopal body. Thus, the supremacy of the Crown was asserted over the Church as well as the State.

    King James subsequently sensed his dependence upon Presbyterian support, and repealed the Black Acts in 1590, and declared himself in favor for the Reformed Kirk, which he now praised as "the sincerest Kirk in the World." However, the king’s sincerity was lacking, and he soon re-asserted his supremacy in all the Church’s affairs. The immediate cause of conflict on this occasion was a plot to overthrow the Protestant religion in Scotland. The principal agents of this conspiracy were the Earls of Huntly, Angus, and Errol. Their plans came to light in 1592, but the scheming nobles were treated with such leniency by the king as to give rise to the suspicion that he himself had Papist leanings.

The following details relate to Uchtred Macdowell, 10th of Garthland:

Uchtred Macdowall, 10th of Garthland married 1st wife, Margaret Kennedy, the daughter of Sir Hugh Kennedy of Girvanmains, by his wife Janet, widow of Alexander Gordon, Master of Sutherland, and a daughter of John Stewart, 2nd Earl of Atholl, and had issue,

1. UCHTRED, 11th of Garthland, of whom presently.

2. Catherine, married the 4th Baron of Cathcart. He died in 1618.

3. John, a political exile like his father, came to Gleno near Larne, Raloo Parish, County Antrim, Ulster by 1595 where he married Mary Wylie. John was described as "the 7th son of Uchtred MacDowall, 10th of Garthland" by the genealogist Mary Semple and as his son from his 1st wife Margaret Kennedy. John Macdowall/McDowell fled Scotland to Ulster due to religious persecution as a Covenantor. It is from this John and Mary (Wylie) McDowell of Gleno that my family descends. (See "Ulster Kith and Kin".)

    Uchtred the 10th of Garthland married 2nd wife Margaret Stewart of Methven, widow of Alexander Stewart, Master of Ochiltree, and the daughter of 1st Lord Methven, and died abroad (France or Ireland?) in 1593, having by her had issue,

1. Margaret, married Sir John Vans of Barnbarroch, Member of Parliament for Wigtownshire, and had issue. Sir John Vans died in 1642.

Sources:

Semple, Mary; Family History of the McDowells of Wigtonshire, Scotland, County Antrim, Ireland and Kent County, Ontario, Canada; 1927.

Macdowall, FDH; The Macdowalls of Galloway.

Clan Ruthven.

McCrie, T.; Life of Andrew Melville: p.181.

Burke’s Landed Gentry.

Written by Leo MacDowell.

From: http://leomcdowell.tripod.com/id26.htm

Uchtred Macdowall

• Birth 1546 Stoneykirk, Wigtownshire, , Scotland
• Death 1593 Larne, , Ulster, Ireland
• Father John Macdowall (1506-1547)
• Mother Margaret Campbell (1530-1547)

Spouse Margaret Kennedy (1560-1578)

• Children
• John (-1611)
• Thomas (-1593)
• Uchtred (1546-1600)
• Janet (1565-)
• Katherine (1569-1659)
• Margaret (1570-)
• John (1575-1631)
• Mary (1579-)
• Margaret (1580-1659)
• Margaret (1597-1710)
• Elizabeth (1600-)

Spouse Lady Margaret Stewart (1552-1627)

Name  Lady Margaret Stewart

* Birth date 1552

• Birth place Methven, Perthshire, Scotland
• Death date 1 Jan 1627
• Death place Perth, Perthshire, Scotland
• Marriage date 1570
• Marriage place Scotland

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Uchtred MacDowell ((Macdowall), the 10th of Galloway (or 12th, depending on who you are reading), belonged to a powerful Scottish royal branch from the Galloway district, in the southwest of Scotland. His ancestor, Dovall of Galloway, was said to have killed Nothatus the Tyrant in 230 BC, and the clan defended Scotland against the Romans. In the 14th century they supported the rivals to the Scottish throne over Robert the Bruce, but eventually came around to be defenders of the Bruces in loyalty to Scotland. Uchtred was among the kidnappers of the young King James IV of Scotland (later King James 1 of England) in a political mess involving the Reformation and the political appointment of a noble sympathizer of Catholic Queen Mary. Uchtred was a Presbyterian. The 10 month kidnapping is known as the Ruthven Raid. He received a royal pardeon by the young king. Most of the clan migrated to Ireland during the Plantations of Ulster, a program designed by King James 1 to place strong Protestant families on the confiscated lands of the Catholic Irish.