Douglas book > Angus memoirs

575
LANDS AND BARONIES OF THE EARLS OF
DOUGLAS AND ANGUS.
THE history of the Earls of Douglas and Angus would be incomplete without some
notice, however brief, of the extensive territories over which they held feudal
sway, as well as of the ancient castles with which so much of the history of the
Douglas family is associated. A recent historian has calculated that at one period the
Douglases were lords of nearly two-thirds of the rich district of Scotland lying to the
south of Edinburgh, while they had estates scattered here and there farther to the
north. 1 Such vast possessions indicate the influence which centered in that House,
and made the Douglases the rivals of royalty.
DOUGLASDALE AND CARMICHAEL EST LANARKSHIRE.
The earliest inheritance of the Douglases was Douglasdale, in the county of Lanark.
In a charter granted in 1321 by King Robert the Bruce to his devoted friend and
follower, Sir James of Douglas, of the lands of Douglasdale and Carmichael, the
boundaries are thus given : — Beginning at the Karyn (Cairn) of Tintov, and descend-
ing by the Merburne to the moor of Thankariston, then across by that moor to the
east part of Hokenedu until it reach Glaedburne, and so across Glaedburne, ascending
by the rivulet on the east side of the Church of Kirkmichel ; thence from the head
of that burn downwards by the middle of Cloucheburn bog to Chernesford (Sheriff-
ford), and so downwards to the water of Cluyde ; and going down that water of
Cluyde till it reach the place where the water of Duglas falls into the water of Cluyde,
and so upwards by the water of Duglas to Polnelismouth [from which point the
boundary between the modern parishes of Douglas and Carmichael runs southward
to Tiuto-end], thence by Polnele ascending to Catteclouch, from Catteclouch to
Knokestillach, from Knokestilloch to Lenbukkislav, and from Lenbukkislav to the
Kaerne (Cairn) of Kaerntabel, and so downwards by the ancient march of Duglas till
it come to the Kaerne (Cairn) of Tintov. 2
1 Burton's History of Scotland, vol. ii. p. 417. - Vol. iii. of this work, pp. 354, 355.