Robert Maclellan, 1st Lord Kirkcudbright
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Sir Robert MacLellan, born in Bombie,
Kirkcudbright Kirkcudbright ( ; ) is a town at the mouth of the River Dee, Galloway, River Dee in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, southwest of Castle Douglas and Dalbeattie. A former royal burgh, it is the traditional county town of Kirkcudbrightshire. His ...
, Dumfries & Galloway,
Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...
, was the son of Thomas MacLellan of Bombie and Grisel Maxwell. Robert was the 1st Lord Kirkcudbright, a title he held from 1633 to 1639. Since he was underage in 1597, at the time of his father’s death, his guardian and tutor during his formative years was Sir William MacLellan of Auchlane.


Biography

As early as 1594, Robert received a charter for Balgreddan Farm and by 1603, MacLellan was knighted by
James VI of Scotland James VI and I (James Charles Stuart; 19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625) was King of Scotland as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the Scottish and English crowns on 24 March 1603 until ...
and was appointed to serve as a Gentlemen of the Bedchamber, a position at court that provided him significant influence. Robert married, first (contracted 18 and 26 October 1603), Agnes, the sixth daughter of Hugh, first Lord Loudoun; secondly, in 1614, Mary Montgomery, daughter of Hugh, 1st Viscount Montgomery of the Great Ards; she died before 1636, and he married, thirdly, Mary, daughter of Robert Gage of Raunds, Northamptonshire, widow, first, of John Rowley of Castleroe,
County Londonderry County Londonderry (Ulster Scots dialects, Ulster-Scots: ''Coontie Lunnonderrie''), also known as County Derry (), is one of the six Counties of Northern Ireland, counties of Northern Ireland, one of the thirty-two Counties of Ireland, count ...
, and secondly, of Sir George Trevelyan. By 1607, MacLellan was already in a prominent public role, having been elected Provost of
Kirkcudbright Kirkcudbright ( ; ) is a town at the mouth of the River Dee, Galloway, River Dee in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, southwest of Castle Douglas and Dalbeattie. A former royal burgh, it is the traditional county town of Kirkcudbrightshire. His ...
. His two terms as Provost (1606–1609 and 1611–1613) were marked by tumultuous and controversial actions. His first significant scandal occurred in July 1607 when, at a church session in
Kirkcudbright Kirkcudbright ( ; ) is a town at the mouth of the River Dee, Galloway, River Dee in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, southwest of Castle Douglas and Dalbeattie. A former royal burgh, it is the traditional county town of Kirkcudbrightshire. His ...
, MacLellan assaulted Robert Glendinning, the minister, during a heated debate. This was part of an ongoing conflict with Robert Forrester, whose alleged adultery was being discussed at the session. In another incident in August 1607, MacLellan, armed with
pistols A pistol is a type of handgun, characterised by a barrel with an integral chamber. The word "pistol" derives from the Middle French ''pistolet'' (), meaning a small gun or knife, and first appeared in the English language when early handguns ...
and other
weapons A weapon, arm, or armament is any implement or device that is used to deter, threaten, inflict physical damage, harm, or kill. Weapons are used to increase the efficacy and efficiency of activities such as hunting, crime (e.g., murder), law ...
, was accused of shooting at George Glendinning of Drumrash. This altercation led to a lengthy legal battle, where MacLellan was eventually ordered to pay compensation, but not before he retaliated with his own countercharges against the Glendinnings. MacLellan's life was defined by numerous clashes, many of them rooted in family rivalries and feuds. In 1608, he was accused of holding a grudge against his uncle, William MacLellan of Auchlane, and was charged with plotting his relative's death. This tension was compounded by accusations that MacLellan had been lenient in allowing prisoners to remain free in Kirkcudbright, which further brought him before the Privy Council. A series of legal troubles continued through 1608 and 1609, with accusations of assault, theft, and bloodshed. In April 1608, MacLellan's involvement in an affray in
Kirkcudbright Kirkcudbright ( ; ) is a town at the mouth of the River Dee, Galloway, River Dee in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, southwest of Castle Douglas and Dalbeattie. A former royal burgh, it is the traditional county town of Kirkcudbrightshire. His ...
led to him being fined and imprisoned in
Blackness Castle Blackness Castle is a 15th-century fortress, near the village of Blackness, Falkirk, Blackness, Scotland, on the south shore of the Firth of Forth. It was built, probably on the site of an earlier fort, by George Crichton, 1st Earl of Caithness ...
. The situation worsened when he and his clan members were accused of attacking several men, including William Maxwell of Cavers and merchant Edward Edzer, in the streets of
Kirkcudbright Kirkcudbright ( ; ) is a town at the mouth of the River Dee, Galloway, River Dee in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, southwest of Castle Douglas and Dalbeattie. A former royal burgh, it is the traditional county town of Kirkcudbrightshire. His ...
. MacLellan was subsequently found liable for these actions and was subjected to further fines and imprisonment, though some charges were dropped. Despite a series of scandals and his violent reputation, MacLellan was also a skilled landowner. In 1610, he obtained lands in
Ulster Ulster (; or ; or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional or historic provinces of Ireland, Irish provinces. It is made up of nine Counties of Ireland, counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United Kingdom); t ...
as part of the
Scottish Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including: *Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland *Scottish English *Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...
Plantation Plantations are farms specializing in cash crops, usually mainly planting a single crop, with perhaps ancillary areas for vegetables for eating and so on. Plantations, centered on a plantation house, grow crops including cotton, cannabis, tob ...
in
Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
, acquiring estates such as the Rosses in County Donegal and Ballycastle in County Londonderry—an estate belonging to the
Haberdashers' Company The Worshipful Company of Haberdashers, one of the Great Twelve City Livery Companies, is an ancient guild, merchant guild of City of London, London associated with the silk and velvet trades. History and functions The Haberdashers' Company ...
—as well as the Clothworkers' Estate. MacLellan spent much of his time in
Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
, overseeing the leasing of his lands and occasionally returning to
Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...
to manage his estates. However, his financial troubles deepened, as the costs of the plantation were higher than anticipated, and he faced mounting debts. His involvement in Irish affairs continued into the 1620s, when he was granted a commission to raise troops for service in
Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
, and he sought reimbursements for the expenses incurred during military campaigns. By the early 1620s, MacLellan was member of
Parliament In modern politics and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...
for the county of
Wigtown Wigtown ( (both used locally); ) is a town and former royal burgh in Wigtownshire, of which it is the county town, within the Dumfries and Galloway region in Scotland. It lies east of Stranraer and south of Newton Stewart. It is known as "Scotl ...
and was appointed one of the commissioners for the small barons. He was also one of the Commissioners to oversee the customers of
Galloway Galloway ( ; ; ) is a region in southwestern Scotland comprising the counties of Scotland, historic counties of Wigtownshire and Kirkcudbrightshire. It is administered as part of the council areas of Scotland, council area of Dumfries and Gallow ...
. Though his financial problems only became more pronounced. He was involved in several legal disputes over land transactions and debts. In 1621, he was summoned to court over the non-payment of 700 merks and was further embroiled in a dispute over land sales with Robert MacLellan of Nunton. These financial struggles led to multiple mortgages on his estates and an increasing reliance on loans. In 1622, MacLellan became involved in an assault on a messenger who had come to serve him with legal papers related to his debts. The altercation led to another public scandal, resulting in his imprisonment at
Edinburgh Castle Edinburgh Castle is a historic castle in Edinburgh, Scotland. It stands on Castle Rock (Edinburgh), Castle Rock, which has been occupied by humans since at least the Iron Age. There has been a royal castle on the rock since the reign of Malcol ...
. Despite these troubles, he continued to hold public office, becoming a Justice of the Peace for
Kirkcudbright Kirkcudbright ( ; ) is a town at the mouth of the River Dee, Galloway, River Dee in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, southwest of Castle Douglas and Dalbeattie. A former royal burgh, it is the traditional county town of Kirkcudbrightshire. His ...
&
Wigtown Wigtown ( (both used locally); ) is a town and former royal burgh in Wigtownshire, of which it is the county town, within the Dumfries and Galloway region in Scotland. It lies east of Stranraer and south of Newton Stewart. It is known as "Scotl ...
and a
Commissioner A commissioner (commonly abbreviated as Comm'r) is, in principle, a member of a commission or an individual who has been given a commission (official charge or authority to do something). In practice, the title of commissioner has evolved to incl ...
for the Middle Shires Borders. In the years following his financial crisis, MacLellan’s role in public affairs gradually diminished, though he remained active in the pursuit of his rights. By 1629, he was created a
Baronet of Nova Scotia This is a list of baronetcies in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia. These were first created in 1624, and were replaced by the Baronetage of Great Britain in 1707. This page lists baronetcies, whether extant, extinct, dormant (D), unproven (U), ...
. In 1633, by letters patent dated 26th May 1633, Maclellan’s prominence was cemented when he was granted the title of Lord Kirkcudbright by
Charles I Charles I may refer to: Kings and emperors * Charlemagne (742–814), numbered Charles I in the lists of Holy Roman Emperors and French kings * Charles I of Anjou (1226–1285), also king of Albania, Jerusalem, Naples and Sicily * Charles I of ...
. In the 1630s, MacLellan’s activities in
Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
took a more bureaucratic turn as he sought to enforce the maintenance of public infrastructure and force local landowners to fulfill their obligations. His efforts to recover money owed to him were often met with resistance, and his involvement in these matters continued into the early 1630s. His final years were spent negotiating with the
Crown A crown is a traditional form of head adornment, or hat, worn by monarchs as a symbol of their power and dignity. A crown is often, by extension, a symbol of the monarch's government or items endorsed by it. The word itself is used, parti ...
and local landowners, and by 1632, he had successfully brought a significant sum into the
Treasury A treasury is either *A government department related to finance and taxation, a finance ministry; in a business context, corporate treasury. *A place or location where treasure, such as currency or precious items are kept. These can be ...
. Sir Robert MacLellan of Bombie’s later years were marked by his persistent legal and financial troubles, but also by substantial contributions to the plantation efforts in
Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
and his role as a landowner. He died 18 January 1639.


References

*Nicholson, J. (1855). Minute Book Kept by the War Committee of the Covenanters in the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright in the Years 1640 & 1641. Nicholson Printing Company. 195-196. *MacClellan, John. Record of the House of Kirkcudbright. Written in 1874 and revised and enlarged in 1903. Dumfries: J. Maxwell & Son, 1906. 32. *Douglas, D. (1904). The Scots Peerage, Volume V. Edinburgh: T.A. Constable. 264-267. *Stephen, Leslie, and Sidney Lee, Editors. The Dictionary of National Biography, Vol. 12, Hyperion, 1908, pp. 653-654. *Torrance, D. Richard. (1993). The McClellans in Galloway. Scottish Genealogy Society. pp. 86-88.


External links


Auchlane Castle

Kirkcudbright, Scotland

MacLellan's Castle

Orchardton Tower

Bombie Castle; Gribdae Burn

Bombie, Kirkcudbright, Kirkcudbrightshire

Ewart Library, Dumfries
{{DEFAULTSORT:MacLellan, Robert 1639 deaths 17th-century Scottish peers People from Kirkcudbright Date of birth uncertain Nobility from Dumfries and Galloway Members of the Parliament of Scotland 1621 Members of the Parliament of Scotland 1639–1641 Lords of Parliament (pre-1707) Lords of Parliament Peers of Scotland created by Charles I