Duncan Forestar facts for kids

Duncan Forestar was an important person in Scottish history. He worked for the king, James IV of Scotland, managing royal money and helping with the court. He was also the Provost of Stirling, which is like being the mayor of the city.

Duncan's Homes and Castles

Duncan Forestar's main family home was Torwood Castle, located near the city of Stirling. He was also known as "of Skipinch." This name came from Skipness Castle, a different castle.

On July 3, 1495, King James IV of Scotland gave Duncan Forestar control of the lands around Skipness Castle. He also made him the keeper of the castle itself. This was a big responsibility!

Duncan Forestar was made baron of Skipinch in 1495 and keeper of Skipness Castle

Duncan Forestar was sometimes called "of Garden." This was because he owned another property near Stirling called Garden. Later, another family member, Alexander Forrester of Garden, would also be known by this name.

Working for the King: The Comptroller

Duncan Forestar had a very important job for King James IV. He was the Comptroller of Scotland twice: first from 1492 to 1499, and again from 1508 to 1509.

The Comptroller was like the chief financial officer for the country. Their main job was to collect money for the king and manage how it was spent. This included all the royal income and expenses.

Helping the Queen

In 1508, Duncan Forestar also became the "Great Purveyor to the Queen," or "Magnus Provisor." This meant he was in charge of buying all the food and other things needed for the household of Margaret Tudor. Margaret Tudor was the wife of King James IV.

At one point, Queen Margaret had her own separate records for her household spending. However, these specific records do not exist anymore.

Royal Records and Important People

Duncan Forestar kept detailed records of the money he managed. These records were written in Latin. They mention many royal servants who worked for the king. These included John Steel, the king's tailor, and James Jacklin, the king's barber. The master cook, Thomas Schaw, was also listed.

His accounts also show some money was spent for Pedro de Ayala, who was an ambassador from Spain. The records also mention Perkin Warbeck, who pretended to be the Duke of York. Duncan's accounts even include details about raids into England, targeting places like Norham Castle and Heaton Castle.