Polnoon Castle
Encyclopedia
Polnoon Castle was a 14th century fortification located on a motte beside the Polnoon Water in the Parish of Eaglesham
, East Renfrewshire
, Scotland.
Robert (Robert de Mundegumbri) was the first Montgomery who appears on record in Scotland; he appears as a witness in a charter to Monastery of Paisley around 1160. It is generally supposed that Robert, who was a grandson of Earl Roger de Montgomery, accompanied Walter Fitz-Alan the first High Steward, when he came to Scotland to take possession of lands conferred upon him by David I.
John de Montgomery and his brother are listed on the Ragman Roll
, rendering homage to Edward I of England for their estates in 1296. A later Sir John, the ninth Laird or Baron of Eaglesham, was one of the heroes of the Battle of Otterburn
in 1388, capturing Sir Henry Percy, nicknamed 'Hotspur' in single combat and holding him ransom. Sir John's mother was a Douglas and a long term feud had existed between the Percy and Douglas families.
Ransoming important captives was the custom in the 14th century and Sir John used the money paid over by the English for the release of Hotspur to build himself a fine castle at Polnoon. It is said that following the chivalrous treatment of his captive, Sir John gained the lasting friendship and admiration of Sir Henry Percy and that he may have even assisted in the technical design and construction of the fortifications.
The ballad of the 'Battle of Otterburne' commemorates the events of 1388 that led to these developments:
Sir Hugh Montgomery, the son of this Sir John, was slain at the Battle of Otterburn by an arrow fired by an English archer as recorded in The Ballad of Chevy Chase
:
Hugh's body was carried to Edinburgh Castle, together with the trophys of Percy's spear and pennon. These have remained with the Montgomery family to the present day (2009). Hugh's body was taken for burial to his home lands and his coffin now lies in the Skelmorlie Aisle
at Largs
in North Ayrshire.
John, seventh baron of Eaglesham's daughter married Archibald Mure of Rowallan Castle
and their daughter Elizabeth married King Robert II
.
In the fourteenth century the baronies of Eglinton
and Ardrossan
were obtained by the marriage in 1368 of John de Montgomery with Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of Sir Hugh Eglinton, by a sister, Egidia, of Robert II
, King of Scotland.
's map as published by Johan Blaeu in 1654 illustrates Polnoon as a central single storey house with a flanking building on each side, joined to the centre by a fence-like structure.
The motte lies about a mile south of Eaglesham church, sitting on a promontory with views of the surrounding countryside. The mound is rectangular, 30 by 22 m base, 18 by 10 m top, at least 4 m high and may have been built for an earlier castle of the Montgomerys, for the later structure encased the castle mound itself. The north-west corner of the tower, and the north range rise from the bedrock 3m below the base of the motte.
On the east side are indications of a ditch that ran across the promontory. The main entry to Polnoon may have been to the east of the enclosure as the range on the south extends in that direction. The castle remains do show signs of post-medieval use, possibly as a free-standing dwelling. There are traces of a battered plinth along the south wall.
MacGibbon & Ross record the castle name as 'Palnoon' and only refer to the site, describing it as strongly sited on the summit of a steep conical mound'...and ..'fragments on masonry here and there. Today (2009) large chunks of masonry appear almost randomly scattered across the site and in the Polnoon Water; very little remains in place as recognisable structures. On the west side, the ground falls steeply to the Polnoon Water, which forms a confluence with the White Cart
nearby. There is no sign of a bailey or outworks on the east. The unusually chaotic condition of the masonry prevents any clear attempt at a plan of the ruins. At the north west corner of the mound is the angle of what must have been a massive wall. At the base of the slopes at the south east end is a stretch of walling 1.6 m thick, possibly part of a courtyard wall.
It is related that Sir John caused a spur (Hotspur) to be carved and placed above the door of the castle in memory of his exploits.
s). The armorial panel does not date from the marriage between the Montgomery and Eglinton families as shown by Sir John's seal which did not bear his wife's quartered arms; the only inclusion of the Eglinton family at this time was an annulet placed in the centre of the Montgomery shield bearing the fleur de lis. His son quartered the arms as shown in the illustrations. The quarter panels on the Eglinton Castle example are a mirror image of the standard Montgomerie coat of arms, the only other example noted of this arrangement is that to be found above the entrance and on the ceiling of the Skelmorlie Aisle
in Largs
, belonging to Sir Robert Montgomerie, conjoined with those of his wife, Margaret Douglas. The reason for this heraldic arrangement is unknown; it may be a simple error as in the Stanecastle
armorial panel which is upside down.
In heraldic terms the full Montgomerie arms are described :
Quarterly, 1st & 4th grand quarters, counterquartered, Azure three fleurs de lis Or (Montgomerie); & three annulets Or, stoned Azure (Eglinton); all within a bordure Or charged with a double tressureflory counterflory Gules;2nd & 3rd grand quarters, counterquartered, Or, three crescents within a double tressure flory counterflory Gules (Seton); Azure, three garbs Or (Buchan), overall an escutcheon parted per pale Gules and Azure, the dexter charged with a sword in pale Proper, pommelled and hilted Or, supporting an imperial crown, the sinister charged with star of twelve points Argent, all within a double tressure flory counterflory Gold.
Views at Polnoon Castle
, Ardrossan
and Eaglesham
took place. Eglinton Castle became the seat of the Montgomerys and Polnoon became of relatively minor importance, especially after King James IV created Hugh, fifth Lord Montgomery, Earl of Eglington (sic) in 1503. Polnoon castle was refurbished for occupation in 1617 but was a ruin by 1676 and rapidly fell into decay, no doubt being robbed for building materials when the earl's new village of Eaglesham was being built in the 18th century, circa 1769. Blaeu's map of circa 1654 shows the castle of Pounuyn (sic) as being intact. Ainslie's map of 1796 shows the castle as a ruin.
Polnoon Lodge in Eaglesham was originally built as a hunting lodge in the early eighteenth century by Alexander, ninth Earl of Eglinton after Polnoon Castle was abandoned. The original house was built in 1733, the present B-Listed house however dates to the later 18th century. The Earl of Eglinton's trustees sold the entire Eaglesham Estate in 1844, including Polnoon Castle to defray the costs of the Eglinton Tournament of 1839. Anstruther has it that the 13th earl sold the estates to pay off his grandfather's (12th Earl) debts circa 1834 for £220,000.
Millhall is a hamlet situated across the Polnoon Burn to the west, centred around the Millhall Mill; now converted as private housing. The mill pond, dam and sluice are still present. This is the likely site of the old feudal barony mill as it is marked in the mid 18th century. A mill lade or water control diversion is clearly indicated on Roy's 1747 map.
. Justice was dispensed here and another knoll nearby named Gallowshill was where execution of the 'doom' or sentence took place.
Views of the Eaglesham barony moot hill
Eaglesham
Eaglesham , is a village and parish set in the west central Lowlands of Scotland - population 3,127 . Today it is chiefly a dormitory town for commuters to nearby Glasgow. The village is distinctive in being based around a large triangular green...
, East Renfrewshire
East Renfrewshire
East Renfrewshire is one of 32 council areas of Scotland. Until 1975 it formed part of the county of Renfrewshire for local government purposes along with the modern council areas of Renfrewshire and Inverclyde...
, Scotland.
The Montgomerys of Eaglesham
The Barony of Eaglesham (1158, Egilsham; 1309, Eglishame) formed part of the grant made by David I (1124–53) to Walter Fitz-Alan, the founder of the house of Stewart, by whom it was transferred to Robert de Montgomery as the dowry upon his marriage to Marjory, daughter of Walter. and it was for many years the Montgomeries' chief possession in the barony. The spelling 'Montgomery' has been used throughout for consistency, however the Earl of Eglinton and his family still use the spelling 'Montgomerie.'Robert (Robert de Mundegumbri) was the first Montgomery who appears on record in Scotland; he appears as a witness in a charter to Monastery of Paisley around 1160. It is generally supposed that Robert, who was a grandson of Earl Roger de Montgomery, accompanied Walter Fitz-Alan the first High Steward, when he came to Scotland to take possession of lands conferred upon him by David I.
John de Montgomery and his brother are listed on the Ragman Roll
Ragman Rolls
Ragman Rolls refers to the collection of instruments by which the nobility and gentry of Scotland subscribed allegiance to King Edward I of England, during the time between the Conference of Norham in May 1291 and the final award in favor of Baliol in November 1292; and again in 1296...
, rendering homage to Edward I of England for their estates in 1296. A later Sir John, the ninth Laird or Baron of Eaglesham, was one of the heroes of the Battle of Otterburn
Battle of Otterburn
The Battle of Otterburn took place on the 5 August 1388, as part of the continuing border skirmishes between the Scottish and English.The best remaining record of the battle is from Jean Froissart's Chronicles in which he claims to have interviewed veterans from both sides of the battle...
in 1388, capturing Sir Henry Percy, nicknamed 'Hotspur' in single combat and holding him ransom. Sir John's mother was a Douglas and a long term feud had existed between the Percy and Douglas families.
Ransoming important captives was the custom in the 14th century and Sir John used the money paid over by the English for the release of Hotspur to build himself a fine castle at Polnoon. It is said that following the chivalrous treatment of his captive, Sir John gained the lasting friendship and admiration of Sir Henry Percy and that he may have even assisted in the technical design and construction of the fortifications.
The ballad of the 'Battle of Otterburne' commemorates the events of 1388 that led to these developments:
The Percy and Montgomerie met, Of other they were richt fain, They swakked swords until they swat, And their red blude ran between. Yield thee, yield thee, Percy, he said, Or I swear I’ll lay thee low! To whom shall I yield, said Earl Percy, Since I see that it maim be so? As soon as he knew it was Montgomerie, He stuck his sword-point in the ground; But the Montgomerie was a courteous knight, And quickly took him by the hand. |
Sir Hugh Montgomery, the son of this Sir John, was slain at the Battle of Otterburn by an arrow fired by an English archer as recorded in The Ballad of Chevy Chase
The Ballad of Chevy Chase
There are two extant English ballads known as The Ballad of Chevy Chase, both of which narrate the same story. As ballads existed within oral tradition before being written down, other versions of this once popular song may also have existed....
:
He had a bow bent in his hand, Made of a trusty tree: An arrow of a clothyard long Up to the head drew he: Against Sir Hugh Montgomerie So right the shaft he set, The gray goose-wing that was thereon, In his heart-blood was wet. |
Hugh's body was carried to Edinburgh Castle, together with the trophys of Percy's spear and pennon. These have remained with the Montgomery family to the present day (2009). Hugh's body was taken for burial to his home lands and his coffin now lies in the Skelmorlie Aisle
Skelmorlie Aisle
The Skelmorlie Aisle of Largs Old Kirk is the remains of a church in the town of Largs, Ayrshire, Scotland.-History:The majority of the kirk was demolished in 1802 when the new parish church came into use, but the aisle, a division of the once larger building containing the mausoleum, was...
at Largs
Largs
Largs is a town on the Firth of Clyde in North Ayrshire, Scotland, about from Glasgow. The original name means "the slopes" in Scottish Gaelic....
in North Ayrshire.
John, seventh baron of Eaglesham's daughter married Archibald Mure of Rowallan Castle
Rowallan Castle
Rowallan Castle is an ancient castle located near Kilmaurs, at NS 4347 4242, about north of Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, Scotland. The castle stands on the banks of the Carmel Water, which may at one time have run much closer to the low eminence upon which the original castle stood, justifying the...
and their daughter Elizabeth married King Robert II
Robert II of Scotland
Robert II became King of Scots in 1371 as the first monarch of the House of Stewart. He was the son of Walter Stewart, hereditary High Steward of Scotland and of Marjorie Bruce, daughter of Robert I and of his first wife Isabella of Mar...
.
In the fourteenth century the baronies of Eglinton
Eglinton Castle
Eglinton Castle was a large Gothic castellated mansion in Kilwinning, North Ayrshire, Scotland.-The castle :The ancient seat of the Earls of Eglinton, it is located just south of the town of Kilwinning...
and Ardrossan
Ardrossan
Ardrossan is a town on the North Ayrshire coast in south-western Scotland. The name "Ardrossan" describes its physical position — 'ard' from the Gaelic àird meaning headland, 'ros' a promontory and the diminutive suffix '-an' - headland of the little promontory...
were obtained by the marriage in 1368 of John de Montgomery with Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of Sir Hugh Eglinton, by a sister, Egidia, of Robert II
Robert II of Scotland
Robert II became King of Scots in 1371 as the first monarch of the House of Stewart. He was the son of Walter Stewart, hereditary High Steward of Scotland and of Marjorie Bruce, daughter of Robert I and of his first wife Isabella of Mar...
, King of Scotland.
The name
One suggestion is that the name Polnoon is a corruption of the old Scots word 'poinding', meaning a ransom, however the word 'Pol' may instead refer to a pool in a river, such as is present below Polnoon's site. Blaeu's map of circa 1654 records the castle as 'Pounuyn'. Punone is the name applied in a 19th century Montgomery family history. Buchan has is as 'Punoon' in 1840.The castle's position and layout
Illustrations of the castle are scarce, however John Ainslie's 1799 survey of the Eglinton Estates includes a vignette of the Polnoon Castle ruins. Timothy PontTimothy Pont
Timothy Pont was a Scottish topographer, the first to produce a detailed map of Scotland. Pont's maps are among the earliest surviving to show a European country in minute detail, from an actual survey.-Life:...
's map as published by Johan Blaeu in 1654 illustrates Polnoon as a central single storey house with a flanking building on each side, joined to the centre by a fence-like structure.
The motte lies about a mile south of Eaglesham church, sitting on a promontory with views of the surrounding countryside. The mound is rectangular, 30 by 22 m base, 18 by 10 m top, at least 4 m high and may have been built for an earlier castle of the Montgomerys, for the later structure encased the castle mound itself. The north-west corner of the tower, and the north range rise from the bedrock 3m below the base of the motte.
On the east side are indications of a ditch that ran across the promontory. The main entry to Polnoon may have been to the east of the enclosure as the range on the south extends in that direction. The castle remains do show signs of post-medieval use, possibly as a free-standing dwelling. There are traces of a battered plinth along the south wall.
MacGibbon & Ross record the castle name as 'Palnoon' and only refer to the site, describing it as strongly sited on the summit of a steep conical mound'...and ..'fragments on masonry here and there. Today (2009) large chunks of masonry appear almost randomly scattered across the site and in the Polnoon Water; very little remains in place as recognisable structures. On the west side, the ground falls steeply to the Polnoon Water, which forms a confluence with the White Cart
River Cart
The River Cart is a tributary of the River Clyde, Scotland, which it joins from the west roughly midway between the towns of Erskine and Renfrew....
nearby. There is no sign of a bailey or outworks on the east. The unusually chaotic condition of the masonry prevents any clear attempt at a plan of the ruins. At the north west corner of the mound is the angle of what must have been a massive wall. At the base of the slopes at the south east end is a stretch of walling 1.6 m thick, possibly part of a courtyard wall.
The Armorial panel
The Montgomery armorial arms panel would have originally been set in a recess above the entrance to the castle, possibly placed there during the 17th century improvements; it was removed at some point and can now be seen above the door of the old Cross Keys Inn in Montgomery Street, Eaglesham. This coat of arms is a combination of the arms of the Montgomerie family (the fleurs de lis) and that of the Eglinton family (the signet rings or annuletAnnulet
Annulet can refer to:* Annulet , a mark in distinction* Annulet , a fillet or ring encircling a column* The Annulet, Charissa obscurata, a species of moth in the family Geometridae...
s). The armorial panel does not date from the marriage between the Montgomery and Eglinton families as shown by Sir John's seal which did not bear his wife's quartered arms; the only inclusion of the Eglinton family at this time was an annulet placed in the centre of the Montgomery shield bearing the fleur de lis. His son quartered the arms as shown in the illustrations. The quarter panels on the Eglinton Castle example are a mirror image of the standard Montgomerie coat of arms, the only other example noted of this arrangement is that to be found above the entrance and on the ceiling of the Skelmorlie Aisle
Skelmorlie Aisle
The Skelmorlie Aisle of Largs Old Kirk is the remains of a church in the town of Largs, Ayrshire, Scotland.-History:The majority of the kirk was demolished in 1802 when the new parish church came into use, but the aisle, a division of the once larger building containing the mausoleum, was...
in Largs
Largs
Largs is a town on the Firth of Clyde in North Ayrshire, Scotland, about from Glasgow. The original name means "the slopes" in Scottish Gaelic....
, belonging to Sir Robert Montgomerie, conjoined with those of his wife, Margaret Douglas. The reason for this heraldic arrangement is unknown; it may be a simple error as in the Stanecastle
Stanecastle
Stanecastle was a medieval barony and estate in North Ayrshire, Scotland, first mentioned in 1363 and now part of the Irvine New Town project. Its nearest neighbours are Bourtreehill and Girdle Toll.-Roman origins?:...
armorial panel which is upside down.
In heraldic terms the full Montgomerie arms are described :
Quarterly, 1st & 4th grand quarters, counterquartered, Azure three fleurs de lis Or (Montgomerie); & three annulets Or, stoned Azure (Eglinton); all within a bordure Or charged with a double tressureflory counterflory Gules;2nd & 3rd grand quarters, counterquartered, Or, three crescents within a double tressure flory counterflory Gules (Seton); Azure, three garbs Or (Buchan), overall an escutcheon parted per pale Gules and Azure, the dexter charged with a sword in pale Proper, pommelled and hilted Or, supporting an imperial crown, the sinister charged with star of twelve points Argent, all within a double tressure flory counterflory Gold.
Views at Polnoon Castle
The murder of the 4th Earl of Eglinton
On 19 April 1586, Hugh, 4th earl, is said to have set out from Polnoon on a journey to Stirling, and whilst crossing the bridge over the Annick Water he was attacked by the lairds of Robertland, Aiket, some other members of the Cunninghame clan and shot dead. This murder was a result of a long standing feud between the two families, involving in 1523, no less than 22 recorded raids upon the Montgomeries by the Cunninghames. Most other versions have the earl departing from Eglinton; certainly the Annick Water lies on the route from Eglinton Castle to Stirling, via Eaglesham, and at that point lies close to Polnoon Castle. Metcalfe's version has the earl killed about six miles from Polnoon on a tryst to Stirling, on the 18 April.The demise of the castle
Following the fourteenth century inter-marriage of the Montgomery family and the sole heiress of the Eglinton family, the unification of the baronies of EglintonEglinton Castle
Eglinton Castle was a large Gothic castellated mansion in Kilwinning, North Ayrshire, Scotland.-The castle :The ancient seat of the Earls of Eglinton, it is located just south of the town of Kilwinning...
, Ardrossan
Ardrossan
Ardrossan is a town on the North Ayrshire coast in south-western Scotland. The name "Ardrossan" describes its physical position — 'ard' from the Gaelic àird meaning headland, 'ros' a promontory and the diminutive suffix '-an' - headland of the little promontory...
and Eaglesham
Eaglesham
Eaglesham , is a village and parish set in the west central Lowlands of Scotland - population 3,127 . Today it is chiefly a dormitory town for commuters to nearby Glasgow. The village is distinctive in being based around a large triangular green...
took place. Eglinton Castle became the seat of the Montgomerys and Polnoon became of relatively minor importance, especially after King James IV created Hugh, fifth Lord Montgomery, Earl of Eglington (sic) in 1503. Polnoon castle was refurbished for occupation in 1617 but was a ruin by 1676 and rapidly fell into decay, no doubt being robbed for building materials when the earl's new village of Eaglesham was being built in the 18th century, circa 1769. Blaeu's map of circa 1654 shows the castle of Pounuyn (sic) as being intact. Ainslie's map of 1796 shows the castle as a ruin.
Polnoon Lodge in Eaglesham was originally built as a hunting lodge in the early eighteenth century by Alexander, ninth Earl of Eglinton after Polnoon Castle was abandoned. The original house was built in 1733, the present B-Listed house however dates to the later 18th century. The Earl of Eglinton's trustees sold the entire Eaglesham Estate in 1844, including Polnoon Castle to defray the costs of the Eglinton Tournament of 1839. Anstruther has it that the 13th earl sold the estates to pay off his grandfather's (12th Earl) debts circa 1834 for £220,000.
The area around Polnoon
Polnoon Farm is located nearby; the Poll Tax Roll of 1695 lists the farm as being owned by the Wallace family, and supporting 3 households. Mains Farm may have been more closely associated with the castle in the past as the term suggest that it was the home farm of Polnoon, possibly in the 17th century. A second building is shown as present near to the castle on Roy's map; this may be Polnoon farm. In 1796 Polnoon Farm is shown and a lane runs directly to Mains Farm.Millhall is a hamlet situated across the Polnoon Burn to the west, centred around the Millhall Mill; now converted as private housing. The mill pond, dam and sluice are still present. This is the likely site of the old feudal barony mill as it is marked in the mid 18th century. A mill lade or water control diversion is clearly indicated on Roy's 1747 map.
Moot and Gallows hills
Every feudal barony had a moot and gallows hill associated with it for the meetings of the baronial court; in the case of the Eaglesham barony the Castle Hill or the Deil's Planting, a tree covered knoll close to Castlehill Farm, may have been the site of the moot-hillMoot hill
A moot hill or mons placiti is a hill or mound historically used as an assembly or meeting place. In early medieval Britain, such hills were used for "moots", meetings of local people to settle local business. Among other things, proclamations might be read; decisions might be taken; court cases...
. Justice was dispensed here and another knoll nearby named Gallowshill was where execution of the 'doom' or sentence took place.
Views of the Eaglesham barony moot hill
See also
- Eglinton CastleEglinton CastleEglinton Castle was a large Gothic castellated mansion in Kilwinning, North Ayrshire, Scotland.-The castle :The ancient seat of the Earls of Eglinton, it is located just south of the town of Kilwinning...
- Clan MontgomeryClan Montgomery-Origins of the Clan:Clan Montgomery originated in Wales, and emigrated to Scotland in the 12th century as vassals of the FitzAlans. The family derives its surname from lands in Wales, likely from the Honour of Montgomery which was located near the Shropshire lands of the FitzAlans...
- Eglinton Country ParkEglinton Country ParkEglinton Country Park is located in the grounds of the old Eglinton Castle estate, Kilwinning, North Ayrshire, Scotland . Eglinton Park is situated in the parish of Kilwinning, part of the former district of Cunninghame, and covers an area of 400 hectares...
- Earl of EglintonEarl of EglintonEarl of Eglinton is a title in the Peerage of Scotland.Some authorities spell the title: Earl of Eglintoun In 1859 the thirteenth Earl of Eglinton, Archibald Montgomerie, was also created Earl of Winton in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, which gave him an automatic seat in the House of Lords,...