Lesmahagow

It has been doubted whether Draffan and Dardarach constituted part of the original grant by David I. to the monks of Kelso.  The first notices of them, when carefully studied, appear to favour the idea that William Comyn, who had a residence and possession of neighbouring lands of Machanshire (Dalserf), disputed with the monks about the boundaries of the barony, and that subsequently he made them a gift of the land in dispute.

William the Lyon, 1165-1214, twice confirmed to God, St. Mary of Kelso, and St. Machutus of Lesmahgow, and the monks serving there, the gift which Comyn made to them of that land which was in dispute between the said William an dthe Abbot of Kelso, with the same boundaries as are contained in the charter of the said William, to be held in free and perpetual alms, reserving his vassalage. (Lib. de Cal., 10, 9; 14, 17.)

In 1147, 1160, Abbot Arnold, in common council, granted to Lambyn Asa, the lands of Draffane and Dardarach, in free farme feu, bounded by the stream (Wascellus) running from the Moss of Carnegogy] (Gaelic, cairn at the water sheds), the modern Corncockle, into the water of Candour (Cander - Gaelic, ceann an doire, head of the forest) ; up the Candour to the burn of Smallbec (Liar's burn) ; up that burn till right opposite the stream under Culnegray, (Gaelic cul nan craobh, back of the trees), which is Birkwood burn according to  to a map in "Origines Parochiales ; " and so down that the stream into Naythane, and down Neythane into Clyde.  These Celtic names carry us back to the period when the great Caledonian forest existed, and when many parts of Scotland, now mosses and moors, were covered with primaeval timber.   The vassel's grant includes the right to hold a Court of blodwit and byrdinsak, and similar small disputes.  Bloodwit implied a fine for wrong or injury to the effusion of blood; burdenseck, a provision of law that no man should die for theft of what he could carry on his back, but should make restitution and be scourged.  The grant also includes mills, waters, pools, woods, open ground, meadows, pastures, and other easements.  The reddendo was 2 1/2 silver merks, to be paid in two portions, at the Nativity of the Baptist and the Feast of St. Martin.  Lambyn Asa had also the right to a chapel in his lands, with the service three days in the week, whcih is elsewhere referred to in this work.  (L. de Cal., 75, 102.)

Lambyn was succeeded by his son James, who is witness to two charters of Abbot John between 1160 and 1180.  (Ibid., 83, 115; 84, 115.)  Abbot John granted the town of Little Draffan, for half a silver merk, to Robert, son of Warnebald  (Ibid., 77, 105); who in turn granted the church of Kilmaurs, in Ayrshire, to Kelso, on condition that he should be received into brotherhood, which was possibly an arrangement by which the cure of the chapel of Draffane should be served.   James of Draffane is a witness to a confirmation of Kilmaurs, by Robert, grandson of Warnebald, circa1189.   Abbot Henry, 1208-1218 (Ibid., 76, 183), in common council, with consent of his chapter, granted to A______, son of James, the lands of Draffane and Dardarrach, the boundaries being doubtless by that time finally arranged, and it is stated that they are contained in the charter of William Comyn, as follows :- "On the one side as the burn descends from the Moss to Naythan, and from Naythan into Clude, at Holyn de Pintaurin towards the east, and so up that burn to the old ditch, and from the old foss to the road which goes between the moss and the hard land to Polneaueske, and on the other side, etc." From this period until the year 1271, there seams to be great difficulty in tracing the descent of the Lambyn family.  In that year, Sir Hugh, and Reginald, his son, appended their seals; but inasmuch a Reginald had not proper seal of his own, Sir Simon Frazer, at his request, appended his seal.  It is probalbe that the daughter of A_____, son of James, was married to Sir Reginald Crawford, whose son, Sir Hugh, married Alice.  Sir Hugh had a brother, John de Crawford of Crawfordjohn.  The family of Reginald, son of Sir Hugh, were daughters and co-heiresses, one of whom married Thomal de Moravia, the othe David de Barclay.   Moravia's child Johanna, sometimes called Jean, married Archibald de Douglas, Lord of Galloway, son of the good Sir James Douglas, by whom he acquired Bothwell, and half of Crawfordjohn barony.

The lands of Ardauch are mentioned in the chartulary of Kelso as belonging to a branch of the family of Lambyn.  When these lands were situated is not now precisely known.   There are two places now bearing that name, and it is conjectured that the original Ardoch or Ardauch consisted of land which stretched form the village, or kirktown of Lesmahagow, westward, and which marched with the lands of Devon to the south.    (Lib. de Cal., 77, 104).

Eustace of Ardauch was witness to a charter of Abbot John of Kelso, and William of Ardach is mentioned in several deeds, granted by Abbot Henry 1208-1218. (Ibid., 84, 115; 79, 108; 80, 109.)  In 1266, Robert, called the Franc of Lambinistun (the Norman Frenchman of Lamingotn ?), son and heir of Henry, and grandson of William, formerly called of Ardach, voluntarily acknowledges before Alexander III, King of Scotland, at the Castle of Roxburgh, that he had troubled the Abbot and convent of Kelso in the lands of greater and lesser Ardach, in the feu of Lesmahgow, and that he had no right to them.    Whatever pretended right he or his ancestors may have had, he resighns in favour of the abbey, recognising teh lands as part of the hereditary possessions of Kelso and Lesmahagow subjecting himself and his heirs, if they challenge his deed, to the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Glasgow, or any Bishop or Archdeacon in whose diocese they may chance to be, so that it might be lawful without trial, on each Sunday and festival throughout the diocese, to excommunicate them with bell and candle.  They are also to pay a penalty of £200 sterling to the fabric of Kelso, and a like sum to Glasgow Cathedral.  Finally, he renounces for himself and his heirs all the benefits of discussion and technicalities of law, etc.  Master William Wischard, Archdeacon of St. Andrews and Chancellor of Scotland, Sir William de Dufglas, and others, are witnesses to this deed.  (Ibid., 155, 190.)

It seems remarkable that no documents have hitherto been discovered, which satisfactorily explain the ownership of Draffan for a considerable period after the Crawfords possessed it.  The most probable conjecture is, that if formed part of the vast possession of the Douglas family, which, with the military genius of the successive owners, rendered their name terrible to their foes, and dangerous even to royalty.   During the period that Archibald, Earl of Galloway, was the ambassador of Robert II. in France, that monarch bestowed upon him any feudal casuality which might aris on the death of his wife, if she should pre-decease him without issue.  The Earl had two sons and a daughter, viz, Archibald, fourth Earl of Angus; James, afterwards seventh Earl of Douglas; and Marjory, married to the Duke of Rothesay.