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Browncastle

The nether ward of Clyds-dail and Glasco
Joan Blaeu, Amsterdam, 1654map image courtesy of NLS

There was once a tower at Browncastle although nothing of it now remains and the site of it is likely occupied by the farm of West Browncastle.

West Browncastle farm stands on a wide, flat promontory formed by a bend in the Browncastle Burn which flows south to join the Calder Water. Much of the surrounding landscape once consisted of boggy ground offering further natural defences.

The early history of Browncastle doesn’t seem to be known but it’s possible that due to the name it was once owned by a Broun family. The lands appear to have been divided by the late 15th century into the lands of Browncastle and those of Easter Browncastle with Browncastle being the larger of the two. The Douglas family may have owned the original lands of the unified Browncastle earlier in the 15th century but they seem to have been subdivided by the end of the century.

In 1493 Robert Douglas, the son and heir of Adam Douglas de Brouncastell, was granted by the king the 4 merk lands of Brouncastell that his father had owned. The following year an illegitimate son of James Hamilton of Torrance, also named James, received the 6 shilling, 8 penny (or half merk) lands of Estir Brouncastell from his father.

It would seem that the younger James may have disposed of Estir Brouncastell soon after as there is a sasine in the same year of the same lands, along with Peristoun in Ayrshire, to Sir Robert Cunningham, described as laird of Cunningham.

In 1497 Sir Patrick Hamilton married a daughter of Adam Douglas of Browncastle and the remaining majority lands of Browncastle seem to have begun a long association with the Hamilton family. Mary, Queen of Scots, confirmed a new charter to Andrew Hamilton of the 4 merk lands of Brouncastell in 1544 which his wife, Janet Douglas, had resigned.

Gavin Hamiltoun of Brounecastel acted as a baillie in 1550 along with John Thomeson in the infeftment of John Hamilton of Haggs‘s daughter-in-law, Isabella Elphinstone, in his liferent of the land of Riding and Riding mure.

In 1562 the queen granted to David Hamilton, the son and heir of John Hamilton of Brouncastell, the 4 merk lands of Brouncastell, with the castles, towers, forts, mills, multures, forests and fisheries, that John had resigned. This appears to be the first mention of a castle at Browncastle.

John Hammyltoun of Brownecassell, a burgess of Edinburgh, granted a receipt in favour of Alexander Drummond of Midhope in 1563 for payment of 500 merks Scots in redemption of one-eight of the lands of Midhope and an annual rent of 33 merks on his whole lands of Midhope.

In the same year John was a cautioner for John Hammyltoun, son of John Hammyltoun of Ferguslie, in a dispute with Alexander Jop, a baker and burgess of Edinburgh, which ended in a mutual discharge which was witnessed by a Gavin Hamilton who was described as John’s servant.

Browncastle is marked on Pont’s late 16th century map as a tower named O. Brouncastel.

Browncastle

Glasgow and the county of Lanark
Timothy Pont, c. 1583 – 1596map image courtesy of NLS

John seems to have been the John Hamilton of Halls of Glengavill and Brouncastle who died in 1608 or 1609. In 1620 Robert Hamilton was retoured heir to his father, David, in the four merk land of Browncastle in the barony of Kilbryde, and was on record again in 1633. Browncastle is marked on Blaeu’s map of 1654, based on Pont’s earlier work, as a tower named O. Brouncastel.

Browncastle featured in a legal dispute in Edinburgh in 1656 between Helen Hamilton, the daughter and heir of the late John Hamilton, a merchant burgess of Edinburgh, and Alexander Wardlaw, also a merchant burgess of Edinburgh. When John died he seems to have been in debt to Wardlaw and those debts defaulted on Helen, and Wardlaw applied to have the property Helen had inherited impounded until the debts were settled. You can read more on the dispute here. The property mentioned included:

half of that 18s. land of old extent called the Nethertoune of Brounecastell, pertinents, &c., thereof, which are parts of the 4-merk land of old extent of Brounecastell, in the barony of Kilbryd and sheriffdom of Lanark, also the rest of the said 4-merk land of Brounecastell called the Overtoune of Brounecastell, extending to 35s. 4d. land of old extent or thereby, pertinents, &c., thereof, and those two portions of land in the Overtoune of Brouncastell, sometime possessed by umquhile James Mathem and umquhile John Craige, and now by John Brounerig and Gawin Allansone, extending to 22s. 8d. land or thereby, with pertinents, &c., thereof, and that in warrandice and security of the said 18s. land of old extent called the Nethertoune of Brouncastell

This would suggest that the majority part of Browncastle, the 4 merk land, had been further subdivided into the Overtoune of Brounecastell, worth 35 shillings and 8 pence, and the Nethertoune of Brounecastell, worth 18 shillings. Helen seems to have settled her father’s debts as Browncastle remained in the Hamilton family, passing to David Hamilton after the death of Robert Hamilton. Following David’s death in 1665 his will was registered by his son-in-law and executor, John Browning, in 1669.

David was succeeded by James Hamilton who had a charter of the lands of Nethertoun of Browncastle in 1672, who in turn was succeeded by George Hamilton who had a charter of the lands of Nethertoun of Browncastle in 1683. The following year he was imprisoned for non-conformity and refusing to take an oath of allegiance “with the king’s prerogative annexed” and fined 2000 merks, but was released the following year upon giving a bond of 2000 merks and agreeing to appear when called upon. George seems to have been rehabilitated in society’s eyes as in 1704 he was made a commissioner of supply for the shire of Lanark.

George died some time before 1711 and was succeeded by his three daughters, Elizabeth, Isabel or Isobel and Helen, who were co-heiresses. Elizabeth married Andrew Cochrane, a schoolmaster in Strathaven, in 1711, and had two sons, James and George, who would later take the Hamilton surname presumably as a condition of inheritance. Isobel had married John Alston of Overhall in 1710 and Helen married a Lawson of Rylandside. In 1712 Elizabeth had a charter or resignation of the lands of Nethertoun of Browncastle.

James Cochrane, or James Hamilton, died in 1740 and his brother, George, was known as George Hamilton of Brouncastle. The property of Browncastle later passed to the Hamilton of Dalzell family although I haven’t been able to ascertain how.

On Ross’s map of Lanarkshire from 1773 a two storey flat-roofed tower is shown at Browncastle but nothing at East Browncastle. It isn’t clear if the drawing is an accurate representation of the building however it isn’t a generic symbol as other properties in the surrounding area are illustrated with different designs.

Browncastle

A map of the shire of Lanark
Charles Ross, 1773map image courtesy of NLS

In 1788 a later James Hamilton of Browncastle died. He was a son of James Hamilton of Dalzell. A new house seems to have been built in the 18th century, although whether or not it incorporated the fabric of an older building is not clear.

Forrest’s map of 1816 shows a substantial mansion at Browncastle with a three bay, two storey façade, and indicates that it was owned by Messrs Cathcart & Graham. A few scattered buildings are shown at East Brown Castle.

Browncastle

The county of Lanark from actual survey
William Forrest, Edinburgh, 1816map image courtesy of NLS

Ainslie’s map of 1820 shows Browncastle illustrated with the same symbol used for other castles in the surrounding area but East Browncastle isn’t marked. Thomson’s map of 1832 shows the large house of Brown Castle and a couple of small buildings at E. Brown Castle. Browncastle is depicted as a substantial house on Knox’s map of 1836 with nothing marked at East Browncastle. Johnson’s map of 1841 seems to be based on Thomson’s map of 1832 and again shows a large house named Brown Castle and a couple of small buildings marked E. Brown Castle.

Browncastle

Lanarkshire XXIX.4 (East Kilbride)
Ordnance Survey, 1859image courtesy of NLS

By 1861 both East Browncastle and West Browncastle were owned by Robert Steele, “commonly called Provost Steele”. Robert’s father had attended the laird of Browncastle’s horses, a job which Robert subsequently took on. Robert went on to be Provost of Rutherglen between 1837 and 1846, and again between 1852 and 1855, and bought both Browncastles. Provost Steele doesn’t seem to have resided at either of the Browncastle farms which were both tenanted, with the farmhouse of West Browncastle occupied at that time by William Hamilton. I haven’t been able to trace their subsequent ownership.

In 2010 permission was granted for the construction of a wind farm to the south-west of West Browncastle farm. This led to the discovery of an area of medieval or post-medieval rig and furrow near the farmhouse during in 2013.

The present farmhouse appears to be Georgian in proportions and style.

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Alternative names for Browncastle

Brouncastell; Brouncastle; Broune-castell; Brounecastel; Brounecastell; Brounecastellis; Brown Castle; Brownecassell; Brownecastell; Nethertoun of Browncastle; Nethertoune of Brounecastell; O. Brouncastel; Over Brouncastel; Over Browncastle; Overtoune of Brounecastell; Overtoun of Browncastle; West Browncastle

Surnames associated with Browncastle

Cathcart

Douglas

Graham

Hamilton

Where is Browncastle?

Browncastle is in the parish of East Kilbride and the county of Lanarkshire.

Grid reference: NS 62297 43149

Lat / long: 55.66228, -4.19056

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OS Map for Browncastle

OS map 334
East Kilbride, Galston & Darvel (Loudoun Hill & Whitelee Forest)
OS Explorer map 334


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Directions to Browncastle

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Weather at Browncastle

18°C
max 19°C / min 16°C
18km/h SSW
1016mb
71%
35%
03:32 21:00

Scattered clouds
Weather observed at Strathaven at 16:36

References (books)

Calendar of the Laing Charters
John Anderson
Edinburgh, 1899
Discovery and Excavation in Scotland, 2013
Paula Milburn
Tisbury, 2014
Historical and genealogical memoirs of the House of Hamilton
John Anderson
Edinburgh, 1825
Ordnance Survey Name Book, Lanarkshire, Volume 25
Various
, 1861
Protocol Books of Dominus Thomas Johnsoun, 1528-1578
James Beveridge
Edinburgh, 1920
Rutherglen Lore
W. Ross Shearer
Paisley, 1922
Statistical Account of Scotland
Various
Edinburgh, 1799
The Castles of Glasgow and the Clyde
Gordon Mason
Musselburgh, 2000
The Castles of Scotland
Martin Coventry
Prestongrange, 2015
The Exchequer rolls of Scotland (Volume 10)
George Burnett
Edinburgh, 1887
The History of the Sufferings of the Church of Scotland (Volume II)
Robert Wodrow
Glasgow, 1832
The History of the Sufferings of the Church of Scotland (Volume IV)
Robert Wodrow
Glasgow, 1832
The Register of the Great Seal of Scotland A.D. 1424-1513
James Balfour Paul
Edinburgh, 1882
The Register of the Great Seal of Scotland A.D. 1513-1546
James Balfour Paul
Edinburgh, 1883
The Register of the Great Seal of Scotland A.D. 1546-1580
John Maitland Thomson
Edinburgh, 1886
The Register of the Great Seal of Scotland A.D. 1652-1659
John Maitland Thomson
Edinburgh, 1904
The Register of the Privy Seal of Scotland (Volume I)
Matthew Livingstone
Edinburgh, 1908

References (websites)

Canmore

Castles near Browncastle

Nether Browncastle (site of)

0.9km away

Peelhill (possible) (site of)

6.7km away

Strathaven Castle

8.1km away

Tower of Udstonhead

9.0km away

Polnoon Castle

9.0km away

Lickprivick motte

9.4km away

Lickprivick Castle

9.6km away

The Tor

9.8km away

Torrance House

10.0km away
more castles....
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Ancient sites near Browncastle

Gowkstone standing stone

14.0km away

Camp Castle broch

22.0km away

Gleniffer Braes standing stones

24.0km away

Drybridge cursus

27.0km away

Kirk Hill (possible) fort

32.1km away

Shirva (site of) souterrain

33.1km away

Craigmaddie Muir (possible) standing stones

33.4km away

Craigmaddie Muir cairn, standing stone

33.5km away

Law Stone of Mugdock (site of) standing stones

34.0km away
more ancient sites....

Pictish stones near Browncastle

Hawkhill Class III cross-slab

56.8km away

Old Kilmadock 2 Class I symbol stone

59.9km away

Old Kilmadock 1 Class II cross slab

59.9km away

Princes Street Gardens Class I symbol stone

69.7km away

Abernethy No. 2 Class III symbol stone

70.3km away

Abernethy No. 4 Class III cross shaft

70.3km away

Tullibole Class III cross slab

72.1km away

Blackford Class I symbol stone

73.2km away

Bore Stone of Gask Class II cross slab

82.8km away
more Pictish stones....
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Pictish sites near Browncastle

Whitecleugh silver chain

29.9km away

Todholes (possible) silver chain

41.5km away

Borland silver chain

43.8km away

Whitlaw silver chain

87.5km away

Haddington silver chain

94.3km away

Traprain Law silver chain

101.2km away

Norrie's Law hoard

101.8km away

Hoardweel silver chain

117.7km away

Dunnicaer fort

190.4km away
more Pictish sites....
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Accommodation near Browncastle

Best Western Strathaven Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barStrathaven
8.8km away
Macdonald Crutherland House
hotel, restaurant, barEast Kilbride
9.0km away
Best Western Eglinton Arms Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barEaglesham
10.1km away
Premier Inn Glasgow East Kilbride Central
hotel, restaurantEast Kilbride
10.6km away
The Bruce Hotel, East Kilbride
hotelEast Kilbride
11.0km away
Premier Inn Glasgow East Kilbride (Peel Park)
hotel, restaurantEast Kilbride
11.3km away
The Torrance Hotel
hotel, bar, restaurantEast Kilbride
11.7km away
Holiday Inn Glasgow East Kilbride
hotel, bar, restaurantEast Kilbride
12.4km away
Premier Inn Glasgow East Kilbride (Nerston Toll)
hotel, restaurantEast Kilbride
12.5km away
Busby Hotel
hotel, bar, restaurantBusby
14.0km away

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Cafés, restaurants & bars near Browncastle

Best Western Strathaven Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barStrathaven
8.8km away
Macdonald Crutherland House
hotel, restaurant, barEast Kilbride
9.0km away
Best Western Eglinton Arms Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barEaglesham
10.1km away
Premier Inn Glasgow East Kilbride Central
hotel, restaurantEast Kilbride
10.6km away
Premier Inn Glasgow East Kilbride (Peel Park)
hotel, restaurantEast Kilbride
11.3km away
The Torrance Hotel
hotel, bar, restaurantEast Kilbride
11.7km away
Holiday Inn Glasgow East Kilbride
hotel, bar, restaurantEast Kilbride
12.4km away
Premier Inn Glasgow East Kilbride (Nerston Toll)
hotel, restaurantEast Kilbride
12.5km away
Busby Hotel
hotel, bar, restaurantBusby
14.0km away
Crossbasket Castle
hotel, restaurantHigh Blantyre
14.0km away
more food.... / more drink....

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A doocot, a castle and a beach in East Lothian
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A pair of castles on the River Tweed
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Dunbar harbour and castle
Published on the 20th of December 2020 at 7:01 pm. Updated on the 29th of December 2020 at 5:23 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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