General Notes

Duntreath Castle, Stirlingshire
Duntreath Castle is situated on a level site in the bottom of the Blane
valley, a mile and a half northwest of Blanefield;near by on the
southwest there runs the Blane Water, and on the northeast theground
begins to rise to the steep slopes of the Strathblane Hills. Much ofthe
original building has long since been removed, but  in the 17th century
(infra) the castle must have been a very imposing one, as it then
consistedof a tower and a quadrangular set of buildings enclosing a
central courtyard.4 Now, however, only the tower survives, together with
part of a large Victorian edifice (infra) most of which was demolished in
the summer of  1958.
Theestate of Duntreath originally formed part of the earldom of Lennox,
but atsome time prior to 1364 it was granted to Murdoch, son of Malcolm,
Earl of Lennox, by his brother Earl Donald. At Murdoch's death, his
daughter Isabella succeeded to the estate, but in or before 1434, after
the execution of Earl Duncan, James 1 made it over to his brother-in-law,
William Edmonstone of Culloden, who had married Lady Mary Stewart, second
daughter of Robert III. The grant, however, was not finally confirmed
until 1452, when James II erected theestate into a free barony, the
charter then granted being in favor of the younger Sir William in fee and
heritage, and in life rent only to his father. It has remained with the
Edmonstone family ever since.
From the foregoing facts it seems reasonable to infer that the
Edmonstones were unlikely to have begun to build until after 1452, and
that the first of their constructions wasthe tower, which to judge from
its architectural treatment is characteristicof the latter half of the
15th century.
Burke, Landed Gentry (1862-3 ed.),634.
The Scots Peerage, IV, 345.
Burke, Landed Gentry (1862-3 ed.), 633 f.
Cast. and Dom. Arch., IV, 212 if., from which Figs. 104 and 105 are
reproduced.
The historical matter utilized in this article has been derived, unless
otherwise stated, from Strathblane, 72 ff.

Duntreath Castle, Stirlingshire
Duntreath Castle is situated on a level site in the bottom of the Blane
valley, a mile and a half northwest of Blanefield;near by on the
southwest there runs the Blane Water, and on the northeast theground
begins to rise to the steep slopes of the Strathblane Hills. Much ofthe
original building has long since been removed, but  in the 17th century
(infra) the castle must have been a very imposing one, as it then
consistedof a tower and a quadrangular set of buildings enclosing a
central courtyard.4 Now, however, only the tower survives, together with
part of a large Victorian edifice (infra) most of which was demolished in
the summer of  1958.
Theestate of Duntreath originally formed part of the earldom of Lennox,
but atsome time prior to 1364 it was granted to Murdoch, son of Malcolm,
Earl of Lennox, by his brother Earl Donald. At Murdoch's death, his
daughter Isabella succeeded to the estate, but in or before 1434, after
the execution of Earl Duncan, James 1 made it over to his brother-in-law,
William Edmonstone of Culloden, who had married Lady Mary Stewart, second
daughter of Robert III. The grant, however, was not finally confirmed
until 1452, when James II erected theestate into a free barony, the
charter then granted being in favor of the younger Sir William in fee and
heritage, and in life rent only to his father. It has remained with the
Edmonstone family ever since.
From the foregoing facts it seems reasonable to infer that the
Edmonstones were unlikely to have begun to build until after 1452, and
that the first of their constructions wasthe tower, which to judge from
its architectural treatment is characteristicof the latter half of the
15th century.
Burke, Landed Gentry (1862-3 ed.),634.
The Scots Peerage, IV, 345.
Burke, Landed Gentry (1862-3 ed.), 633 f.
Cast. and Dom. Arch., IV, 212 if., from which Figs. 104 and 105 are
reprodu