Shanbody

Shanbody was a barony in the 14th century and is seemingly marked as a tower on Adair’s late 17th century map of Clackmannanshire, however all trace of it has now gone. I haven’t been able to find a description of the building beyond it being a “manor place” so have listed it as a possible castle for now.

The first appearance of Shanbody on record comes in 1330 when the barony of Shanbody was in the possession of Sir Thomas Murray, Lord of Bothwell, the grandson of Andrew Moray who fought alongside William Wallace at the Battle of Stirling Bridge. Sir Thomas’ father, Sir Andrew Murray, married Christina Bruce, the sister of Robert the Bruce, at Cambuskenneth Abbey in 1326. At this time the neighbouring property of the barony of Clackmannan was said to be Bruce’s favourite residence.

In 1358 Sir Thomas granted the barony of Shanbody to his cousin, Sir Robert Stewart, who became known as Sir Robert Stewart of Schanbothy or Shanbody. Some time before 1442 a sasine of the barony of Shanbody was given to Sir David Stewart of Durrisdeer, while a sasine of 1584 grants the lands of Shanbody to another David Stewart.

In 1647 and 1648 James Stewart of Rosyth granted “the lands and Barony of Shanbody, with the manor place thereof” to Robert Bruce of Kennet and Shanbody seems to have remained with the Bruce family through to the late 18th century.

During the ownership of the Bruces the surrounding area went through a period of agricultural development with land being parcelled up and rented out to tenant farmers. It may be that the building at Shanbody lost its importance or was deemed unfit for habitation in enlightened times and fell out of use. Certainly a laird’s house was built at Kilbagie close by in the late 18th century and this may have become the focus of the estate.

An estate plan of “Part of Meadowend and Shanbody” produced in April 1859 by the civil engineer Archibald Sutter, and held in The National Records of Scotland, shows the “Ruins of Shanbody” marked to the north of Kilbagie and to the west of the road to Kennet village. This seems to be the last appearance of Shanbody on maps and today the site falls in the north half of a field belonging to Meadowend Farm.