DOWANE OR DEVON AND AUCHTIFARDLE

Abbot Osbert of Kelso, in 1180-1203, granted to Constantine, son of Gilbert, priest of Lesmahagow, and his heirs, the township of Dowane, with the lands which Osbert held therein, and with the two hills to the march of Ardach on the south. He was to pay annually 20s. He was thirled to the Priory Mill, both he and his men. He was to pay marriage tax for his own daughters, but to receive those of his sub-vassals, and was to have the same right of holding a court as James of Draffan, and Gilbert, son of Saludes. And if blood was spilt on his land, he was to have jurisdiction over his own vassals and the monks over their men. (Lib. De Cal., 77, 104.) Of the hills on the south, one was probably what is now known as Auldtown heights, the other was perhaps Drumbrax hill, or Boghil.

Constantine de Dowan was witness to a charter, granted to the Priory in 1240, of the Lands of Kype. (Ibid., 149, 181.) About the same period Philip and John, Abbots, the one of Jeddeworde, the other of Dryburgh, acting under authority of the Pope, settled a dispute regarding the lands of Dowane, between Kelso, on the one part, and Daniel and Robert of Dowan, and their wives, on the other, which lands the monks had claimed, as having been illegally alienated from the abbey. For the sake of peace, the foresaid Daniel and Robert were to pay the monks a sum of money, and grant a site for a mil on the Kerlyngholm, where the Dowan burn falls into the Neythan, with a free mil-lead through the lands of Dowan to the foresaid mill, and the right of constructing a mil-pond or reservoir thereon. The brothers Dowans also granted to the monks and their men of Milltown, and to all coming to the mil, the common pasture of Delues, from the foresaid mill in a straight line east to the brae opposite the said mill, and by the brae down into Nethan, and up Nethan to the foresaid mill, by the said Dowan burn. And although the Milltown men did not pasture there, except during the winter half-year, yet all coming to the said mill were allowed to feed there during the whole year. The brothers Dowan likewise conceded the common peat muir near Thorebrecks, as far as the house, which the said Robert de Dowan built on the foresaid land, in the time of Constantine, but with the right of winning and carrying their own peats, and with a sufficient place for digging and drying them, without doing injury to the corn. (Ibid., 162, 194.) Kerlynholm signifies "the haugh of the grey peas." Delues may have been Dillars. A mill at Milltown, with the mill-lead, etc., were probably constructed immediately after this deed was subscribed, so that they have existed upwards of 600 years.

The property of Dowan seems to have been held in two portions, and in1294, Adam, son of Daniel de Dowane, resigned all his land, in the tenement of Dowane, to the abbey, in full court, held at Lesmahagow, on account of certain sums of money which the monks had paid for him in his great straits. If he attempted to draw back from this arrangement, he was to pay £40 towards the fabric of the church of Glasgow, and £40 as a fine in aid of the monks' sanctuary lands, subjecting himself and his heirs to the Lord Bishops and other officials of the diocese of Glasgow, to be excommunicated and denounced until the foresaid £80 were satisfied and paid; and in testimony thereof, his seal was appended; and because it was little known, the seal likewise of the venerable Primate, the Lord Bishop of Glasgow, and the seal of Lord Galfrid de Mubray, then Justiciar of Lothian; also the seal of Lord Godfrey de Ros, then Sheriff of Lanark, were appended before these witnesses, viz., Nichol de Benauthyn, and his son John, William Folkard, and Alexander his son, Richard Weir, and Richard his son, Reginald de Corrokys, and others assembled in court, held at Lesmahagow (Ibid., 159, 192.)

In 1301, Adam de Dowane, junior, on the Vigil of Pentecost, resigned, in full Abbot's court, held at Lesmahagow, the whole of his lands of Dowan, with all their pertinents, in excambion for the lands of Hautiferdale, which were granted at the foresaid time and place. The penalty for challenging the transaction was 100 merks to the fabric of the church of Glasgow, and 100 merks in aid of the sanctuary lands; and because his own seal was unknown, he procured and affixed the seal of the Venerable Primate Lord Robert, Bishop of Glasgow; also the seal of Lord Walter Logan, then Sheriff of Lanark, before these witnesses, Sir Alexander Folkard, Aylmer, Rector of the church of Duglas, Nichol de Benanthin, Richard Wer, Adam del Dowane, David de Pollenelle, William de Kype, Reginald de Corrokys, Archibald del Croke, William son of Brydoc, Adam his son, and many others. (Ibid., 161, 193.) In 1326, Abbot William granted to John, son and heir of Adam, younger of Dowan, and his heirs, in excambion for half of the lands of Dowan, the whole of the monks land of Aghtiferdale, with the common pasture of Aghrobert for his cattle, and men belonging to the said land of Aghtiferdale, with pasture for twenty nolt, upon the lands of Duvan, which might lie during the night upon the tenement of Aghtiferdale, with thirty loads of peats, to be dug upon the common of Duvan, at his own expense, both as to labour and men; To be held by him and his successors, freely, peacefully, and honourably, from the monks and their successors, paying therefor for the tenement of Aghtyferdale yearly, at the festival of St. Machute, a silver penny only; and for the foresaid pasture of twenty nolt, and thirty loads of peats, six silver pennies at two terms of the year, viz., at the feasts of Pentecost and St. Martin (Whitsuntide and Martinmas), in full of all secular service, exaction , and demand, excepting only what the King might demand. And his Aghtyferdale corn was to be ground at the monk's mill of Lesmahagu, if he pleased, free, without multure, or he might take it elsewhere if it was his pleasure; and he might sell malt and carcases on his foresaid tenement without interference from the monks or their bailie. And the foresaid John and his heirs were permitted to act as janitors at the gate of the priory; and if the said John, or any servant introduced in his place, was a delinquent, the said John was to be equally responsible for his servant as for himself, and the said servant should receive from the monks no more than three gallons of bread daily; and the said John and his heirs should be allowed from the monks and their successors, a table of his own, and a robe yearly for his servant, which lands of Aghtyferdale, with pastures and peats, and all just pertinents and liberties, were warranted for ever. (L. de Cal., 367, 478.) It is uncertain whether Craighead or Milltown mill is here alluded to; and although the grantee and his successors most probably acted by deputy in opening and shutting the priory gates, yet the overwhelming power of the priesthood is not the less indicated by the transaction.