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Mowmaynes


Marlefield House is a 17th century mansion which incorporates part of the earlier tower of Mowmaynes.

The property was previously known as Mowmaynes, Mowmaynis or Mow Mains and seems to have originally been a part of the barony of Eckford which by the mid-13th century was owned by Geoffrey of Ekkeford, better known as Sir Geoffrey de Mowbray, Justiciar of Lothian.

Sir Geoffrey’s third son, Sir Roger de Mowbray, succeeded to Eckford upon his father’s death in 1300, however Sir Roger was involved in a plot to kill Robert the Bruce and replace him as King with William de Soules, Lord of Liddesdale. He was wounded during his arrest in 1320 and died in prison while awaiting trial. Sir Roger’s extensive estates were forfeited to the Crown, and Robert granted Eckford to Walter, Steward of Scotland, the husband of Marjory Bruce.

Later the property was occupied by the Mow or Moll family, a junior branch of Mow of Mow, who seem to have held it from the Newtons of Dalcove.

Mow Mains may be the Mowe-house which was burnt in September 1545 by an English army led by Edward Seymour, Earl of Hertford.

In May 1552 Janet Newtoun of Dalcoif, with the consent of her spouse, Ade Ker de Schaw, and her son and heir, Thomas Ker, sold the lands of Mow-maynes extending to 6 merks, which William Mow of Mow Mains occupied, to William’s son, James Moll.

In 1596 John Mow of Mow Mains and the laird of Mow were troubled by the theft of twenty cows and oxen by George Ker of Crukehalme.

William Mow was served heir to his father, James Moll or Mow, in the lands of Mow-maynes extending to 6 merks with the manor place in October 1606. In April 1610 William Mow of Mowmaynis served as a member of an inquest into the retour of Francis Hamilton as heir to his late father, James Hamilton of Apethsyde. In June of the same year John Mow, son of William Mow of Mowmaynes, was apprenticed to Thomas Mow, a merchant in Edinburgh.

In May 1622 William Mow of Mowmaynes gave the lands of Mowmains to his eldest son, also William, and daughter-in-law, Margaret Ker, daughter of Robert Ker, portioner of Fairnyngtoun.

The younger William seems to have used the land as collateral for a loan as in June 1624 there was a bond of corroboration by William Mow of Mowmaynis and Gilbert Mow, his eldest son and heir apparent, to Sir Henry Wardlaw of Pittrevie. Two years later in August 1626 horning and poinding, the process of having someones property seized by a court, was carried out on behalf of Sir Henry Wardlaw of Pitravie against William Mow of Mowmaynis for payment of bond.

In January 1627 John Mow of Mow sold his lands of Mow-toun, Mow-maynes, Mow-mylne and Carroust, and William and Gilbert Mow of Mowis-maynes sold their lands of Mowis-maynes, to John Wardlaw of Abden, third son of Sir Henry Wardlaw of Pitreavie, to settle an 1100 pound debt to Sir Henry. The list of properties suggests that there were similarly-named lands in the vicinity of Mow Tower.

This may have been a wadset or mortgage of the lands rather than a straightforward sale as in 1630 William Bennet, the minister of Ancrum, received the titles of the lands of Mowmains following a disposition by the said Gilbert Mow of Mowmaynes, as heir to William Mow of Mowmaynes, with the consent of his wife, Margaret Ker. At a similar time Bennet also bought the lands and barony of Grubet from Sir James Ker of Craillinghall. In October 1639 Bennet received a new charter of the lands and barony of Grubet into which were incorporated various other lands including Mowmains.

In June 1647 Bennet’s son and heir, also William, was placed in the ward of Robert Pringle, portioner of Clifton, on account of being underage at the time of his father’s death. He married Christian Morrison, second daughter of Sir Alexander Morrison of Prestongrange, in April 1665 and in November was created a baronet, becoming Sir William Bennet, 1st Bt., of Grubet.

Their son, also William, who was born at Mowmains, married Margaret Sionyall or Scowgall, daughter of the late John Sionyall of Whytekirk, in November 1692 and received a disposition of the lands and barony of Grubet from his father as a part of the marriage contract. This seems to have been reversed two years later however following Margaret’s untimely death.

The younger William married again, wedding Elizabeth Hay, eldest daughter of Sir David Hay of Auchquairns, in August 1695. Possibly in the same year work began on building a new house immediately to the north-west of the old house, work which may have involved Sir William Bruce, a friend of Sir William Bennet.

The new house consisted of a large five bay main block of three storeys plus an attic, with three storey square towers projecting from each corner. The old house was remodelled as an L-plan pavilion, within which an early 17th century bolection-moulded chimney piece survives. A corresponding new pavilion was built to the north, with both pavilions linked to the main house by curved walls. While the house was being built the Bennets are said to have lived at Grahamslaw.

It seems to have been around this time that the name of Marlefield or Marlfield was adopted, with Sir William writing letters to the Countess of Roxburghe from Marlfield in 1702. Vestiges of the old name of the property are preserved on the estate in the Mowses Burn and near the burn a small eminence known as the Mowses knowe.

In February 1703 the younger William received a charter of the lands and barony of Grubbet, following the resignations of his father, Sir William Bennett, and of William Kerr of Cherrytrees. This would suggest that Kerr had some interest in a part of the Grubet lands. The lands were erected into the barony of Grubbet with the manor place of Marlfield made the principal messuage, and a liferent annuity granted to Elizabeth Hay.

Sir William died in 1710 and the younger William succeeded him as second Baronet. The new Sir William was a Commissioner of Excise for Scotland in 1714 and in 1715 led the militia forces of Roxburghshire in the defence of Kelso against the Jacobites. He is sometimes referred to as Captain Bennet, having been appointed a captain of a troop of horse during the Revolution of 1689 and fighting at the Siege of Namur in 1695.

The work on Marlefield is thought to have continued until 1717 and may have latterly involved William Adam. Certainly Sir William is known to have recommended Adam to John Ker, 1st Duke of Roxburghe, for the remodelling of Floors Castle in the 1720s.

Sir William was a great patron of art and literature and was a close friend of the poet James Thomson, whose mother, Beatrix Trotter Thomson, owned lands at Wideopen neighbouring the Grubet lands. Another poet, Allan Ramsay, was a regular visitor and wrote Æolus at Marlefield. Thomson was said to be captivated by one of the “fair Bennetas” as Sir William’s daughters were called by Ramsay.

Following the death of Sir William in December 1729 Marlefield passed to his son, Sir William Bennet, 3rd Bt., of Grubet, however he died without issue in January 1733 and his title and estates were inherited by his brother, Sir David Bennet, 4th Bt., of Grubet. He too died without issue, in April 1741, and was succeeded by his uncle, Sir John Bennet, 5th Bt., of Grubet, the second Baronet’s brother.

In November 1743 Sir John signed a contract with William Nisbet of Dirleton whereby the lands and barony of Grubet would pass to him. Nisbet was the son of William Nisbet of Craigentinny and Dirleton and Christian Bennet, a daughter of the second Baronet.

Between 1754 and 1757 repairs and alterations were carried for Nisbet out by George Paterson. The first floor window openings were lowered and on the west rear façade a Venetian central doorway was added with steps leading down to the garden. The pavilions appear to have been rebuilt at this time and were apparently not originally harled.

The grounds were also landscaped, and when George Ridpath, minister of Stitchel, visited Marlefield in January 1758 he noted that Nisbet had removed “a stiff, contracted, Dutch policy” from in front of the mansion and “made a considerable progress in opening and levelling a fine extensive lawn before his house”.

Around 1765 Sir John Bennet died without issue and the baronetcy became extinct. A few years later the Nisbets are said to have abandoned Marlefield, supposedly after Nisbet invited several people to dinner on a Sunday against the wishes of his religious wife. Mr Frain, the tenant of nearby West Wooden farm, occupied the house until it was let around 1775 to Ralph Oliphant, “a gentleman who was highly respected in the district for his amiable and obliging deportment”. A sale of the remaining effects of the Bennets took place before the house was let.

By the mid-19th century Marlefield had been bought by Field Marshal George Hay, 8th Marquess of Tweeddale, although whether he ever lived at the house is unclear. Certainly his main residence at this time was Yester House.

Later in the century the house was apparently lying empty, its condition deteriorating. In November 1890 Athole Stanhope Hay, third son of Sir Robert Hay of Smithfield and Haystoun and a descendant of John Hay, 3rd Lord Hay of Yester, bought Marlefield from William Montagu Hay, 10th Marquess of Tweeddale, third son of the 8th Marquess.

From 1891 the house was remodelled by Kinnear & Peddie, some sources state after a fire. A pediment and sidelights were added to the main front entrance, while the front door lock was brought from Robert Adam’s Calton Jail in Edinburgh. Wood panelling in the hallway was sourced from Cunard liners, Hay’s wife being Caroline Margaret Cunard, daughter of Sir Edward Cunard, 2nd Bt., and sister of Sir Bache Cunard, 3rd Bt.

The house was originally harled with exposed dressings, being described in 1879 as “a long double-winged structure, white-washed, with a superfluity of windows”, however the harling was removed in the mid-20th century revealing the rubble walls underneath.

In the later 20th century the house was run as a hotel but is now once again a private home.

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Alternative names for Mowmaynes

Marle-fied; Marlefield House; Marlfield; Maynes de Mow; Moll-manis; Monsmaynes; Mouses Mains; Mow Mains; Mow-Mains; Mow-Maynes; Mowe-house; Mowis-maynes; Mowmams; Mowmaynis; Wowmams

Clans associated with Mowmaynes

Hay

Moubray

Mow

Nesbitt

Surnames associated with Mowmaynes

Hay

Moll

Moubray

Mow

Mowbray

Mowe

Newton

Nisbet

Where is Mowmaynes?

Mowmaynes is in the parish of Eckford and the county of Roxburghshire.

Grid reference:NT 73733 25678

Lat / long:55.524132,-2.417599

Bing Maps | Google Maps | Historic maps (NLS) | OpenStreetMap | Ordnance Survey | PastMap | Streetmap | Wikimapia

OS Map for Mowmaynes

OS map OL16
The Cheviot Hills (Jedburgh & Wooler)
OS Explorer map OL16


Directions to Mowmaynes

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Weather at Mowmaynes

7°C
max 8°C / min 7°C
11km/h SW
1017mb
88%
85%
08:06 16:38

Overcast clouds
Weather observed at Kelso at 00:00

References (books)

A Hawick Word Book
Douglas Scott
Vancouver, 2021
A History of the Border Counties: Roxburgh, Selkirk, Peebles
George Douglas
Edinburgh, 1899
Annals of the Seymours
Harold St. Maur
London, 1902
Borders (The Buildings of Scotland)
Kitty Cruft
London, 2006
Diary of George Ridpath, Minister of Stitchel, 1755-1761
James Balfour Paul
Edinburgh, 1922
History of the Berwickshire Naturalists' Club (Volume 33)
Various
Edinburgh, 1956
History of the Berwickshire Naturalists' Club (Volume 9)
Various
Alnwick, 1882
James Thomson, Anglo-Scot (Volume 1)
Mary Jane Scott
Edinburgh, 1979
Lairds and gentlemen (Volume 2)
Maureen Manuel Meikle
Edinburgh, 1988
New Statistical Account of Scotland
Various
Edinburgh, 1845
Origines Parochiales Scotiae (Volume 1)
Various
Edinburgh, 1851
The Acts of the Parliaments of Scotland (Volume 11)
Various
London, 1824
The Annals of a Border Club
George Tancred
Jedburgh, 1899
The Border Papers (Volume 2)
Joseph Bain
Edinburgh, 1896
The Castles of Scotland
Martin Coventry
Prestongrange, 2015
The Country Houses, Castles and Mansions of Roxburghshire
Bernard Byrom
Catrine, 2015
The History and Antiquities of Roxburghshire and adjacent districts, Volume 3
Alexander Jeffrey
Edinburgh, 1855
The History and Antiquities of Roxburghshire and adjacent districts, Volume 4
Alexander Jeffrey
Edinburgh, 1864
The Red Book of Scotland
Gordon MacGregor
,
The Register of Apprentices of the City of Edinburgh, 1583-1666
Francis J. Grant
Edinburgh, 1906
The Register of the Great Seal of Scotland A.D. 1593-1608
John Maitland Thomson
Edinburgh, 1890
The Register of the Great Seal of Scotland A.D. 1620-1633
John Maitland Thomson
Edinburgh, 1894
The Register of the Great Seal of Scotland A.D. 1634-1651
John Maitland Thomson
Edinburgh, 1897

References (websites)

Canmore

Castles near Mowmaynes

Cessford Castle

1.8km away

Caverton

2.3km away

Moss Tower

2.4km away

Eckford Tower (site of)

2.8km away

Linton Tower (site of)

3.7km away

Whitton Tower

4.0km away

Ormiston Castle (site of)

4.3km away

Corbet Tower

4.3km away

Sunlaws (site of)

5.0km away
more castles....
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Ancient sites near Mowmaynes

Littledean fort

11.9km away

Brothers' Stones standing stone

15.7km away

Newstead (site of) souterrains

19.0km away

Eildon Hill North fort

19.5km away

Earlston standing stone

19.9km away

Cambridge standing stone

27.3km away

Bruntaburn Mill standing stone

27.8km away

Duns Law fort

29.4km away

Torwoodlee broch and fort

30.0km away
more ancient sites....
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Pictish stones near Mowmaynes

Borthwick Mains Class I symbol stone

32.0km away

Abernethy No. 2 Class III symbol stone

67.6km away

Abernethy No. 4 Class III cross shaft

67.6km away

Princes Street Gardens Class I symbol stone

68.4km away

Abercrombie 1 Class III cross slab

80.7km away

Abercrombie 2 Class III cross slab

80.7km away

Abercrombie 3 Class III cross slab

80.7km away

Abercrombie 4 Class III cross slab

80.7km away

The Coves, Caiplie Class I symbols

81.3km away
more Pictish stones....
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Pictish sites near Mowmaynes

Whitlaw silver chain

32.6km away

Hoardweel silver chain

34.6km away

Traprain Law silver chain

51.5km away

Haddington silver chain

52.7km away

Borland silver chain

70.6km away

Todholes (possible) silver chain

72.6km away

Norrie's Law hoard

88.0km away

Whitecleugh silver chain

92.4km away

Dunnicaer fort

159.5km away
more Pictish sites....
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Accommodation near Mowmaynes

The Roxburghe Hotel & Golf Course
hotelRoxburgh
4.7km away
Plough Hotel
hotelTown Yetholm
8.9km away
The Farmhouse at Yetholm Mill
hotelTown Yetholm
9.1km away
Kirk Yetholm SYHA Hostel
hostelKirk Yetholm
9.2km away
The Spread Eagle Hotel
hotelJedburgh
10.0km away
Larkhall Burn luxury cottages
self-catering cottagesJedburgh
10.2km away
Jedforest Hotel
hotelJedburgh
12.6km away
The Buccleuch Arms Hotel
hotelSt Boswells
15.5km away
Castle Hotel
hotel, bar, restaurantColdstream
17.4km away
Apartment 76
self-catering apartmentColdstream
17.6km away

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bed and breakfasts
campsites
castles
holiday parks
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Cafés, restaurants & bars near Mowmaynes

The Terrace Café, Floors Castle
caféKelso
9.4km away
The Courtyard Restaurant, Floors Castle
café, restaurantKelso
9.4km away
Hirsel Cottage Tea Room
caféColdstream
17.1km away
Castle Hotel
hotel, bar, restaurantColdstream
17.4km away
George & Abbotsford Hotel
hotel, barMelrose
20.8km away
Johnstons of Elgin Eastmill Café
caféHawick
25.1km away
Baxters Selkirk
caféSelkirk
26.6km away
Selkirk Deli
caféSelkirk
26.8km away
Best Western Philipburn Country House Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barSelkirk
28.0km away
Allanton Inn
hotel, bar, restaurantDuns
31.4km away
more food.... / more drink....

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Dirleton Castle in East Lothian
Garden of Cosmic Speculation plus castles
Garden of Cosmic Speculation plus castles
Inveraray Castle and standing stone
Inveraray Castle and standing stone
A doocot, a castle and a beach in East Lothian
A doocot, a castle and a beach in East Lothian
A pair of castles on the River Tweed
A pair of castles on the River Tweed
Dunbar harbour and castle
Dunbar harbour and castle
Published on the 13th of November 2011 at 6:29 pm. Updated on the 13th of June 2021 at 3:23 pm.

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Andy Sweet above Fast Castle

Stravaiging around Scotland is written, photographed and researched by Andy Sweet.
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