Dunskey Castle - 15th & 16th Centuries

15th & 16th Centuries

On 10 Nov 1426 Nigello Adare de Portar (Portrie - Dunskey) was a witness to the restoration of the lands of Lochnaw Lochnaw Castle, by Willelmi de Douglas, dom. de Leswalt to Andree Agnew. This Nigello Adare may have died prior AD1456.

In AD1456 Gilbert Kennedy, 1st Lord Kennedy of Dunure obtained the ward of Kynhilt (with Dunskey Castle) as shown in Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, Kennedy - Gilbert of DUNURE "OBTAINS ward of Kynhilt" (Dunskey) see 208 & 347. It is interesting that R.M.S. vol.II index on p. 1134 BALLIVUS de Carrick, lists p. 94 no.414, 13 Feb 1450 Gilbert Kennedy of Dunure "REX confirmavit Gilberto Kenedy de Dunure consang. suo, - quod ipse Gilbertus et heredes sui masculi essent caput totius progeniei sue tam in calumpniis quam in aliis articulis et negotiis ad KENKYNOLL pertinere valentibus; unaetum officio ballivi comitatus de Carric et hominum ipsius dectione et cum armorum ostensione in omnibus, sub comite de Carric qui pro tempore fuerit ; - que idem Gilb. personaliter resignavit." iv. 182. - was he a bailie & Kenkynol, as Exchequer Roll AD1455 shows Gilberti Kenedy, BALLIVI comitatus de carric had ward of Kylnnahelt (Dunskey).

Gilbert Kennedy of Dunure, bailie of Carrick, did not enjoy Dunskey Castle for long as in AD1455 Exchequer Rolls of Scotland records that he was compensated for NOT having the ward of Adair. If he was the same Gilbert, he married Christian Adair and her son, apparently Rolland Adair, must have come of age about AD1456. Christian Adair Kennedy was a widow and Dunskey apparently was resigned by Gilbert Kennedy then shown as of Quhiltis which may have been "White Hills" next to/or Kilhilt / Kinhilt, to William Earl of Douglas who in turn must have assigned it over to Rolland Adair when he came of age.

In AD1457 the Exchequer Rolls, Vigtoun (Wigtownshire) listed "Libri Responsionum" notes that Rolandi Adair t. Gilhelt (Kilhelt) had sasine of Crecach, Dunnone, Pennyanach, Kildonan (Dunskey, o'wise Portree see p. 688), Carny, and Lochbeg (Laughbeg or Middle Laigh). Carny is shown on Pont's map as "Karn Multibrugh" north of Lefnol (Leffnoll / Lesnoll / Lochnoll ) and as "Cairn" on Ainslie's 1782 map of the County of Wigton, in the National Library of Scotland, digital library early maps

In AD1486 ADAIR (Adare), Rolland, deceased, father of William Adair (who must have been under-age) the ward of his lands of Kilhelt, Portre (Dunskey), Kildonane and Drummore, had been granted to an Alexander Bruce c.1468 who had had them in error for 18 years. p. 381 error of accounting for 18 years.

In AD1488 William Adair of Dunskey Castle & Kinhilt and McCulloch of nearby Ardwell, Stoneykirk, were attacked by sheriff Quentin Agnew of Lochnaw Castle and his band of men. Agnew was pursued before the Lords of Council and in 1489 Agnew had to pay for the goods taken, but was entitled to a rebate if he returned them in good order.

About AD1489 Dunskey / Dunsky Tower House was partially burnt by Sir Alexander (Sandy) M'Culloch of Myrtoun Clan McCulloch. - 3 March 1499, pardon for McCulloch, along with respites for burning the Place of Dunskay granted to Duncane Makke, litil Gilbert Makke, Johne Clerk Makee & Andro Akersane.

In the early 1500s Dunskey Castle was repaired by the Adairs of Kinhilt (the Hall of Dunskey was rebuilt and was 36feet by 17feet). The Adairs built the Castle of St. John in nearby Stranraer Wigtownshire about 1510.

29 August 1496 "Anent the complaynt made be Wilzeam Adaire of Kilhelt and Archibald Makculloch of Ardwell apoun Schir Alexander McCulloch of Mertoune, knicht Clan McCulloch, Owchtre McDowell of Gerthloy (Uchtred McDowell of Garthland) Clan Macdowall, and thare complicis, that quhair thai war dylatit of art and part of the slauchter of umquhile DYONYSE of Hammyltoun, quilkis was slane on Mydsummer evin that last was, in the toune of Wigtoun, thai bean innocent thareof, and was redy al tymes to underly our soverane Lordis lawis tharefore as was allegiit, quharefore the persons forsaid with thare complicis assegit the place of DUNSKAY pertenyng to the sade Wilzeam Adair and rasit fyre and byrnt the sammyn and skaithit the said Wilzeam in househald geire tharethrou, extending to the soume of xl li., throw the quhilk fyre rasing thai birnt ane box pertenyng to Elyse McCulloch quhilk thai had in keping and in it j li. and the skaith of the birnyng of the sade Wilzeam house extending to xx li., and als that thai tuke and spulzeit fra the sade Wilzeam foure horses with a part of barkit hydis, as was rychtsa allegiit, and als fra the sade Archbald McCulloch and his pure folkis insicht gudis of househald to the availe of xxx li., togidder with ix of ky and oxin, xviij of schepe, xvj horses and meris, tane be the sade Schir Alexander and his complicis as was inlikewise allegiit."

After September 1513 Ninian Adair of Kinhilt, as son and heir of William Adair who was killed at Flodden with McDowell, had Sasine (delivery of feudal property) of the estate. Four years later Ninian had a renewal of the tack which had been granted to his father in AD1512. It is said that Ninian Adair rebuilt the castle of Dunskey on a more magnificent scale than ever, and to put an end to the feud with the MacDowells he espoused Janet McDowell, a daughter of the house of Garthland Garthland Castle. The ground floor plan of Dunskey appears to show this new enlarged section ( three cellars facing the land-side of Dunskey Castle with the "new" hall with a huge fireplace on the next floor). The arched entrance appeared to be approximately at the south-eastern bottom corner room with circular steps leading up to the new hall. The archway to the entrance can be seen in Francis Grose's drawing, but only the top portion of the archway can now be seen. One peculiar aspect was that one of the new cellars or vaults appeared not to have had a door. Another aspect was "...we went by water to see the ruins of an old castle (Dunskey), under this house, in the rock, is a cave, which, they say, goes a considerable distance under ground..." . This cave may be shown in a photo of Dunskey Castle on Geograph. There are other mentions of a piper "ghost" playing and pacing up and down perhaps in the cave.

In AD1520-1521 Ninian Adair had only a short time to enjoy his new additions to Dunskey Castle as in AD1523 his son William was mentioned as his heir. In 1520-1521 (as Ninian Adair's heir, William, was under-age) the warde his lands (including Dunskey castle) were put into the hands of the Gilbert Kennedy, 2nd Earl of Cassilis and Lord Maxwell.