Glenkindie House & Castle

By Jim Strachan, MBA (11 August 2022)
Clan Strachan Scottish Heritage Society, Inc.
All photographs are copyright by their original holders.

Figure 1: Glenkindie House
Taken by an unknown person (2009)

During the First War of Scottish Independence, the Strachan family had supported the Balliol and Comyn cause, and took arms against Robert de Bruce opposing his claim to the crown of Scotland. Charter evidence suggests at least a moderate to high  probability the Strachan family were kin to John Comyn, Earl of Buchan, through his mother, Elizabeth de Quincy (RRS, iv, no. 115; RRS, ii, no. 396; DR, nos. 86, 87; ER, i: clxxviii, clxxx; and 15; and CDS, i, no. 2509, 2513).

In the early summer of 1308, after John Comyn, earl of Buchan's defeat at the Battle of Inverurie, also known as the Battle of Barra, forces loyal to Robert de Bruce burned-out Castlehill of Strachan.

The following year, in 1309, John of Strachan granted a Charter of Donation to Sir Alexander Seton, at Perth, which was a garrison town and an English supply base (3/551/5; Seton, ii, 843). Seton was almost certainly a cousin of John of Strachan through multiple generational lines (Family of Seton, i: 62, 65-6, 69, 70).

In 1314, at the Battle of Bannockburn, Sir Alexander Seton, knight, defected from the English after the first day of battle. He met with Robert de Bruce, informing him of the poor English morale and encouraged King Robert to continue the fight the following day. It is highly unlikely Seton was a lone defector, and almost certainly took followers with him, which would have included the Strachan family.

In 1315, the Strachan family was disinherited by King Robert de Bruce, and the barony of lands of Strachan granted by the king to Sir Alexander Fraser, his future brother-in-law and Chamberlain of Scotland (RI, 1-15; RMS, i, Appendix II, No. 20; and TAFAJ, XXVII, p71-8),).

'Robertus Dei Gratia Sciatis nos Dedisse dilecto & fideli Nostro Alexandro Fraser Militi Omnis & singulis terris de Strachethyne de Essuly et Achenerooks, faciendo nobis et heredibus nostris dictus Alexander et heredes sui, forinsecum servitium, quantum pertinet ad predictam baroniam apud air primo die Novembris Anno Regni Nostri Decimo.'

Unlike the rest of the disinherited, the Strachan family were not exiled to England, but remained in Scotland.  This fact almost certainly attributable to their alliance with Sir Alexander Seton, and in particular that the family had defected with Seton to support the Scots cause during Bannockburn.

Near the end of King Robert I's reign, the Church had finally recognised the previously excommunicated King Robert I as sovereign of Scotland, and it appears at this time the Strachan family reconciled with the crown.

In 1329, Sir Alexander Seton served in the household of young David II, the son and heir of Robert de Bruce (Penman, Michael. 'Robert the Bruce: King of the Scots'.). Further, the Strachan family had been ardent supporters of David II during his early reign.

In 1329, Alexander Strachan of Carmyllie was appointed in King David II's first year, Coroner of the Counties of Forfar and Kincardine (RI, 37-51).

In 1333, Robert Strachan was one of the casualties of the battle of Dupplin, wherein he fought against the army of mainly English soldiers hired by the 'Disinherited.' (Scotorum Historia, xv, no 41)

In 1333, Thomas Strachan was recorded at Aberdeen in the company of Richard Lauder, Chamberlain to David II of Scotland, and several prominent Aberdonians. This group presided over an inquiry concerning the rights of the Bishops of Aberdeen to receive a percentage of the taxation due to the crown from the diocese of Aberdeen. (RMS, i, no.268; app.2 no.1564)

In 1338, The Scots were in a stronger position, re-taking Perth from the 'Disinherited' garrison. Sir Thomas Strachan was one of King David II's lieutenants. (Scotorum Historia, xv, no 13)

On 16 April 1343, David II granted to Donald de Strathechin and his wife Annabell very extensive lands in Forfarshire (Kingstour, Langleyis, and Godefrayestoun), which had been resigned by Andrew Burr in 1343 at Barbrothe [Arbroath?]. Also, the grant included the lands of Cardenbarclay, an annual furth of the Mill of Panmure in Forfar, and the barony of Monycabbock, Tullimaddin and Cray in the county of Aberdeenshire (RI, 48-34).

In 1348, King David II, had been capture at the Battle of Neville's Cross and was a hostage of the English. Many Scottish families who benefited from the earlier disinheritance quickly sought to make reparations in fear that another king might disinherit them. Subsequently, many Scottish noblemen made grants of lands and arranged marriages, i.e., war reparations, to those previously disinherited families, particularly rewarding the now faithful. An important distinction is that this did not include restoring to a traitor those lands they had previously forfeited by their actions against their 'rightful king' during the War for Scottish Independence (Homann, 2001).  This meant the 'de Strachan' family would never re-gain possession of the barony of Strachan.

In the mid-1350s, Adam Strachan was granted two charters from local earls.

In c 1351, Adam Strachan was granted the lands of Augherthyne and Scarry in Aberdeenshire from William Keith (RI, 49-8).

In c 1355x7, Thomas, Earl of Mar, gave Margaret Mar, a relative or kinswomen ('consanguinea'), probably his niece, in marriage to Adam, and granted the lands of Glenkindie, among others (Collections A&B: 618).

These grants are clear examples of reparations made to the now faithful Strachan family. By this time, the granddaughter of Sir Alexander Fraser, Margaret Fraser, married the King's Marischal, William Keith, and brought the barony of Strachan and other lands into the Keith family (Yeoman, 1984: 319). Further, the earl of Mar was a kinsman of Robert de Bruce, an ardent supporter, and may have played an influential role in the destruction of Castlehill of Strachan. Regardless, these and other grants likely helped lay the groundwork for the negotiated release of David II near the end of 1357.

The Strachan family held Glenkindie until 1726. After Sir Patrick Strachan's death, in 1726, there were no male heirs and his estate was taken charge of by the Court of Session for the benefit of his creditors, and remained under judicial management until 1738, when it was sold. The purchaser was a kinsman, Alexander Leith, son of Margaret Strachan of Glenkindie, sister of Patrick's father. This cousin obtained possession of Glenkindie in that same year. The following portrait still remains at Glenkindie House today:

Inscribed on the bottom right corner of the portrait
MARGARET STRACHAN, daughter of
ALEXANDER STRACHAN of Glenkindie
Born 1637, married 1664
JAMES LEITH of New Leslie & Peill
(Leith Hall)

Other Sources:
Alardyce, Col. James. "The Strachan's of Glenkindie: 1357-1726 (1899). Available at the Mitchell Library, Glasgow.