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~ Airth Castle ~
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(Photograph by David Hamilton)
The term 'ERTH', (Gaelic ARDHE), signifies a hill and there are two hills here,
with a stretch of level plain from their bases to the River Forth.
These hills were occupied by AIRTH Castle and Elphinstone Tower
(named Ermore and Erthberg respectively).
The AIRTH (ERTH) family is very ancient.
Adam de ERTH in 1248, held considerable lands in Stirlingshire,
subsequently subdivided into Erth, Elphinstone, Carnock and Plane.
Fergus de ERTH, a nobleman, occupied AIRTH Castle in 1309.
The existing ancient portions of the old place of AIRTH
are very extensive
with many interesting buildings.
The east wing is certainly the oldest part.
It consists of a square tower with two unequal sized turrets at its front corners.
The west wing, which is alleged to be as old as the time of William Wallace,
is a simple square tower with embattlements, and is named Wallace's Tower.
A large plain elevation with dormer windows fills the space between these two towers.
The windows have been widened and increased in height recently.
The building on this side is situated on the brink of a steep knoll,
now forming a terraced garden and surrounded by old timber.
The towers on the south and east are remarkable for being external
and that on the left with the conical roof is the oldest part of the castle.
Date--between 1550-1600.
Edward Bruce, second son of Sir Robert Bruce of Clackmannan,
married Agnes AIRTH,
one of three daughters and co-heiresses of William AIRTH, of that Ilk,
and widow of apparently Livingston Mannerston.
With her came the lands and Barony of AIRTH ~~ this became Edward's chief title afterwards.
Elizabeth AIRTH married Thomas Somerville of Batlaw and then David Drummond of Carnock.
She received portions of the lands of Plane in 1470.
Marjory AIRTH married John Elphinstone and got Erthbeg.
Edward Bruce of AIRTH was succeeded by his son Robert.
The Castle of AIRTH was burned by James II on June 11, 1488,
previous to the Battle of Sauchieburn.
Robert had joined the rebel lords, and on July 3, 1489, after James IV's succession,
he received 100 pounds compensation 'for byggen of his place that was byrnt'.
Prior to January 1519, Robert was succeeded by his son Robert,
who is 'enterit to the freedom of the Burgesary of Stirling by reason of his father',
and is one of the cautioners, with Robert Bruce of Auchenbowie,
for the dower of Provost Crichton's daughter, married to Alexander Bisset of Quarrel.
He was succeeded by Sir Edward-Alexander Bruce,
who married a daughter of Livingston, Earl of Linlithgow, in 1547.
In 1601, John Bruce succeeded him and on July 21, 1600 King James VI erected AIRTH
and Falkirk into Royal Burghs, to the prejudice of the Burgh of Stirling.
The Stirling Town Council appointed commissioners to 'raise the summons of reductions of rights made and granted by our sovereign Lord to the prejudice of the liberties of this Burgh'.
On September 24 following,
two other commissioners were appointed to get these erections annulled.
Sir John was married to Margaret,
third daughter of Alexander, Lord Elphinston and Jean Livingston.
Their tomb, the former north chapel of AIRTH Old Church,
has the saltier arms of Bruce and the initials S.J.B.
John seems to have been succeeded by Alexander,
whose tombstone of black marble is said to adjoin the above.
The inscription reads 'Ex Robertii Brussii Scotorum Regis filio secundo natu progenito, Baroni AIRTHense', the date of death being 1642 at age 56.
He seems to have been succeeded by Richard Elphinston, who married Jane or Isobel Bruce.
On September 17 1683, his son Charles succeeded him in the lands and Barony of AIRTH, etc.
The AIRTH market cross was erected by Charles Elphinston in 1697, his initials and coat of arms and those of his mother and father with their arms quartered.
The other two sides of the cross are sun dials and one of them has the date 1697.
Charles was killed in a duel with a relative, Captain William Bruce of Auchenbowie at Torwood.
Judge Graham acquired the estate in 1717, and it remained in his family for many years.
The modern north front with its towers was added to the mansion in 1803.
~ * ~ * ~
The town or burgh of AIRTH is one of the few quaint old towns
which being isolated until recently from the outside world
retains many features of its importance in the first decade of the eighteenth century.
Its better class of houses have coats of arms, symbosa or trade badges,
initials of their owners and dates affixed.
There are two municipal buildings:
The Market House called 'Blue House'
and 'Turnpike' which has the date 1705, being apparently the former council chambers.
There are many other buildings with dates between 1705-1730.
Among them is a large tenement, with guildry arms over its doorway.
In the north of the town lies what is evidently a work of importance:
ie: the dry bed of an old canal connecting the town with the Forth
and bringing the boats from that river to their very doors.
AIRTHburgh had undoubtedly a port and service of trading boats in the Forth,
with a not inconsiderable trade for a small town.
However, the ruin of its trade, and with that its importance, dates back to 1745
when their fleet of boats was seized and destroyed by government troops to prevent them
from being utilized by the Pretender's army in crossing the Forth.
This trade has never returned, notwithstanding the town's recent connection by rail.
It remains a dull, lifeless, sleepy place.
The old church,
apparently of an early date attributed to the transition period of the twelfth century,
is with its surrounding tombstones, as it stands on the very verge of a rock,
close to the castle, a picturesque and conspicuous object from the plain.
It contains the tombstones of the ancient AIRTH family and their many branches
that had residences in the vicinity.
The structure is a long, low, narrow nave, 80' X 20', with a north aisle
supported on four circular arches with 10' of span.
Each has two south chapels, each 18' X 18', attached, all roofless.
What apparently was a north chapel is now the AIRTH family sepulchre.
A square tower is on its south wall and an underground vault,
reached by a flight of steps inside the church.
It has on its south door lintel, the date July 15, 1647.
This unusual exactness excites suspicion as to the lintel having formed a tombstone,
but it is quite suited to the place.
A recumbent female effigy lies at the east gable wall, without any identifying marks.
While the older portions of this fine ecclesiastical building may date back to the 15th century,
it is thought that the main architecture of the main portions, including the tower,
is of a later period ....
possibly the above date may apply to the re-construction of the church.
(An excerpt from 'Ancient Castles and Mansions of Stirling Nobility' by J S Fleming, FSA,
agrees with the above account)
[ Information received from Mr Robert Hazelton of Ontario via Ailsa Airth, also of Ontario ]
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AIRTH Castle has since been transformed into a First Class Hotel.
My AIRTH Direct Ancestor Line
Information on AIRTH Surname Meaning/Variations
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