Murdostoun facts for kids
Murdostoun is an old estate in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It's known for its historic castle and a bridge, both named Murdostoun. The estate is located near the village of Bonkle and the South Calder Water. The name Murdostoun comes from "Murthock" and "Toun," meaning "dwelling of Murthock." It can refer to the ancient land owned by the Scott and later the Inglis families, the castle itself, or the bridge over the river.
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The Murdostoun Estate
The Murdostoun Estate was quite large, covering about 1,760 acres in 1872. It included many farms like Foulburn, Castlehill, Easthouse, and Westhouse. Other farms close to Murdostoun Castle were Eastwood, Westwood, Rosebank, and Heughbank. The Allanton Estate was just to the east.
Murdostoun Castle
Murdostoun Castle is located about 1100 meters west-northwest of Bonkle. 55°47′41″N 3°52′31″W / 55.79472°N 3.87528°W The Scott family built Murdostoun Castle in the 15th century. It was designed as a strong, fortified home, also known as a keep. Its location high above the South Calder Water was perfect for defense. Many castles like this were built across the Forth and Clyde Valley to protect the area.
These castles typically had a tall, square shape with three floors, surrounded by a courtyard. They had very thick walls and battlements on top. For safety, there was no direct way to get from the ground floor to the upper floors from inside. The main hall on the first floor was reached by a staircase from the courtyard that could be removed. To get to the top floor, where people slept, there was a narrow staircase built inside the walls. Other rooms were also hidden within the thick walls. The roofs were made of stone to protect against fire attacks, and there were platforms on the walls for fighting.
Murdostoun Bridge
Murdostoun Bridge was built in 1817. It's a single-arch bridge made mostly of yellow sandstone. It has special features like angled walls and low stone railings.
The bridge crosses the South Calder Water, which acted as a border between the Murdostoun Estate and the Allanton estate. This river also marked the boundary of the parish. The bridge is halfway between the village of Bonkle (part of the Allanton estate) and Murdostoun Castle. It was likely built by the Stewarts of Allanton, as it looks similar to another bridge they built near Allanton House. The 1817 date matches when many cottages were built in Bonkle, while the Murdostoun estate was empty at that time.
Murdostoun's Past: A Timeline
The land of Murdostoun was once a large area called a Barony. It included lands like Hartwood and stretched east to Hilhouserig.
The Murthock Family (1241-1296)
The Murthock family were the first known owners of Murdostoun, dating back to the time of Alexander III of Scotland.
The Scott Family (1296-1466)
In 1296, Sir Richard Scott married the daughter of the Murthock family, which made him the owner of Murdostoun and Hardwood. As a feudal lord, he promised loyalty to Edward I of England. Sir Richard died in 1320. Later, Sir David Scott was a member of Parliament in Edinburgh in 1487. His son, Sir Michael Scott, fought bravely at the Battle of Halidon Hill in 1333. He was killed at the Battle of Durham in 1346. His son Robert took over, and then Robert's son, Walter Scott of Murdostoun. In 1389, King Robert II honored Walter with a knighthood. On July 23, 1446, the Scott family traded their lands of Murdostoun and Hartwood with Thomas Inglis. In return, the Scotts received half of the Barony of Branxholme in Roxburghshire.
The Inglis Family (1466-1719)
The Inglis family's first home was at Branxholme on the River Teviot. Their famous ancestor was Sir William Inglis. In 1395, he bravely fought and defeated an English champion, Sir Thomas Struthers. As a reward, King Robert III gave Sir William the land of Manor, which included the whole Manor Valley.
Later, John Inglis of Manor, Sir William's son, traded half of Branxholme with Sir Robert Scott of Murdostoun in 1420. Thomas Inglis, John's eldest son, found that English raiders often attacked Branxholme. So, he arranged another trade with Sir Walter Scott in 1446. The Scotts moved to Branxholme, which is still part of the Buccleuch estates today. Thomas Inglis moved to Lanarkshire and settled at Murdostoun.
The Inglis family lived at Murdostoun for about 300 years. The last direct Inglis owner was Thomas Inglis of Murdostoun, who sold the estate around 1696 to Alexander Inglis, a merchant from Edinburgh. When Alexander Inglis died in 1719 without children, he left the estate to his nephew, Alexander Hamilton. The condition was that Alexander Hamilton had to take the Inglis name.
The Inglis-Hamiltons (1719-1850)
Alexander Inglis Hamilton's three sons inherited Murdostoun one after another. The second son, Gavin Inglis Hamilton (1730–97), became a famous historical painter and archeologist in Rome. The youngest, Major-General James Inglis Hamilton, was a hero in the American Revolutionary War. He died in 1803. He adopted James Anderson, the son of a sergeant-major.
James Inglis Hamilton made sure that Murdostoun would go to his adopted son, James Anderson, who then took the name Inglis-Hamilton. Colonel James Inglis Hamilton, the owner of Murdostoun, was killed at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.
The Stewarts (1850-1979)
Robert Stewart and His Family
Robert Stewart (born 1811) bought Murdostoun Castle in 1850 for £55,000. He was a successful businessman in the iron and coal industry. Robert Stewart married Isabella King around 1852. He passed away on September 12, 1866. Robert and Isabella had two sons: Robert King Stewart (born 1852) and William Lindsay Stewart (born 1859).
Robert Stewart was also very active in public life. He joined the Glasgow Town Council in 1842 and became a magistrate. In 1847, he became the senior bailie, acting as the chief magistrate. He played a key role in calming public unrest in 1848. He was known for his courage and quick decisions during these difficult times.
In 1851, Robert Stewart became the Lord Provost of Glasgow. During his time, he worked hard to bring a clean water supply to Glasgow. This was a huge project that faced a lot of opposition, but he managed to get the Water Bill passed with the help of Lord Palmerston, the Prime Minister. This was a great benefit to the city. In 1856, Mr. Stewart bought the Murdostoun estate and began to improve it. He died suddenly in 1866 from heart disease.
Sir Robert King Stewart, KBE
Robert Stewart's older son, Sir Robert King Stewart, KBE (born 1852), became the next owner of Murdostoun. The estate was still about 1760 acres in 1873. Sir Robert married Alice Margaret Christie around 1881. He served as the Lord Lieutenant for Lanarkshire from 1921 until his death in 1930. He was also a master mason.
Sir Robert King Stewart and Lady Alice Christie Stewart had three sons:
- Robert Craig Christie Stewart (born 1882), who died young.
- Captain John Christie Stewart (born 1888).
- Major Alexander Caldwell (Bey) Stewart, M.C. (born 1891 or 1892, died 1927). He served in the Cameronians regiment. Major Stewart lived at Arndean, Clackmannanshire. He married Florence Hamilton Lighton in 1923. He died suddenly in 1927 after an operation.
Lady Alice's father, John Christie, died in 1902. Lady Stewart received the 3,000-acre Ardean Estate as part of her inheritance.
The Stewarts often spent winters abroad to avoid the cold Scottish weather. Murdostoun was the first house in Scotland to get electric lighting in September 1882, powered by a steam generator. They bought a car in 1908 and had a telephone installed in 1910.
The Stewart family was very involved in World War I. John Christie Stewart was a staff captain. Alexander Caldwell Stewart joined the Cameronians and was wounded at the Battle of Festubert in 1915, earning the Military Cross. Alice managed three hospitals. Robert was a director of the Red Cross and served with the Territorial Army, for which he was honored as Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE). Major Alexander Caldwell Stewart was wounded again and received another Military Cross. Alice was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her important work.
Sir Robert King Stewart died in December 1930 at 78. Lady Alice then moved to Cleghorn House, allowing her son to use Murdostoun Castle fully. Lady Alice Christie King Stewart, O.B.E., J.P., died in September 1940. She was a vice president of the Queen's Institute of District Nursing, president of the British Red Cross society in Lanarkshire, and a pioneer in the Girl Guide movement. During World War I, she was in charge of the Hartwood Hill Red Cross Hospital.
Captain John Christie Stewart, CBE
Sir Robert's son, Captain John Christie Stewart, CBE, became the next owner of Murdostoun. Captain Stewart married Agnes Violet Averil (Ava) Douglas in London in 1928. Boy Scouts and Girl Guides formed a guard of honor at their wedding.
Captain Stewart was the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Scottish Branch of the British Red Cross Society. He was honored as Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1947. Captain Stewart also served as Lord Lieutenant for Lanarkshire from 1959 to 1963. He was an active master mason and enjoyed hunting.
Both Sir Robert King Stewart and his son, Captain John Christie Stewart, served as Grand Master Mason of the Grand Lodge of Scotland. The Stewarts were related to famous Victorian traveler and author, Miss Isabella (Ella) Robertson Christie, who was Lady Alice Margaret Christie Stewart's sister.
Lady Stewart and her sister, Miss Ella Christie, published a book about their lives called A Long Look at Life, by Two Victorians in 1940. Mrs. Averil Stewart published a poetry book, Mercury in the Garden, in 1946. She also wrote a book about her mother-in-law, Lady Alice Christie King Stewart, and her aunt, Miss Ella Christie, called Alicella, published in 1955.
The Stewarts made Murdostoun Castle a very comfortable home. They loved their dogs and even created a special pet cemetery for them. Mrs. Averil Stewart died in 1975, and Captain John Stewart died in 1978. They are buried in a family tomb in Cambusnethan Church cemetery near Wishaw. Captain and Mrs. Stewart did not have children. After their deaths, the Murdostoun estate went to a great-nephew and was sold in 1979. The National Library of Scotland has a collection of family papers from Murdostoun Castle.
Murdostoun Castle Today
Today, Murdostoun Castle is used as a special care and rehabilitation center. It has three main buildings set in 37 acres of parkland and woods. One part, the Frank Jamieson wing, is a modern facility that provides nursing and social care. It has bright rooms, a large sunroom, and a private garden. In 2010, two of the care facilities closed for updates, leaving a 20-bed brain injury rehabilitation center. After recent renovations by the Huntercombe Group, the newer buildings on the site are now used as rehabilitation and care centers for various brain and nerve conditions. The castle itself is home to the Abbeycare Foundation, a private wellness center.
Images for kids
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Murdostoun Castle in 2015
