Balwearie Castle

Balwearie Castle is a ruined 15th century tower which belonged to the Scott family.

Around 1230 Richard de Balwearie succeeded his father, Geoffrey de Inverkunglas. Their surnames are not recorded however a Michael Scott of Balwearie is on record from 1280. In 1296 Michael was taken prisoner at the battle of Dunbar and sent to Wallingford Castle. Some time between 1300 and 1306 Michael granted land to Ivo of Bruntshiels and the document was witnessed William of Lochore. William’s relative, Constantine of Lochore, had also been imprisoned at Wallingford.

In 1484 James III confirmed a charter of the lands and barony of Glendovok to William Scott of Balwearie.

In 1503 Sir William Scott of Balwearie seems to have sold the lands and barony of Glendovok to William Hay, 3rd Earl of Erroll, however the property seems to have returned to the Scotts as in 1510 the lands of Glendowak were erected into a free barony by James IV for William Scott of Balwearie.

Later that year he disposed the same lands of Glendowok to John Ferguson of Downy in warrandice of the lands of Downy however the manor and fortalice of Glendoick are mentioned in a charter of 1529 confirming William Scott as the heir of William Scott of Balwearie. A charter of 1548 mentions the manor and fortalice of Glendoick when Mary, Queen of Scots, confirmed their transfer from Sir William Scott to his son of the same name.

In 1569 the younger Sir William Scott of Balwearie wrote to John Wemyss of Wemyss asking him to be a cautioner or guarantor “for whatever sums the Bishop of Moray should recover by law against him of his teinds of Glendowok“.

There was a disposition and assignation of “the lands and baronies of Stramiglo, Glendook and others which belonged to the late Sir William Scot of Balwery” by Robert Colville of Cleisch, James Lyndesay of Dowhill and Alexander Monypenny of Kynkell to George Halket of Petfirran in 1579.

In 1584 Janet Lindsay, Lady Balwearie, signed a contract with James Scott of Balwearie according to which she would renounce “her conjunct fee lands of Manes of Balverie and 5 chalders victual from lands of Glendoak” in exchange for James paying 12,000 merks to his brothers and sisters.

In 1595 Sir James Scott of Balwearie signed a contract with his cousin, William Scott of Abbotshall, to ensure that his “lands and baronies of Innerteill, Stramiglo, Glendock, Balwearie and others” would remain in the Scott family by passing to William’s son, James, should Sir James’s line fail.

Sir James later resigned the lands and manor of Glendovoke and in 1602 James VI confirmed Sir David Murray of Gospertie, Comptroller of Scotland, as their owner.