Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

AXXANDALE MAKSIOXS.
2. JOllXSTOJN'E, OR LOCIIWOOD TOWER.
This tower or castle, wliidi ii six or seven miles distant from Mofl'at \>y tLc Duiiifrieri
road, is by far tlie oldest habitation of the family.' Tradition assigns its ercetion to
the fourteenth centur}-. But as charter evidence recently discovered shows that the -J olin-
stones were designated of Johnstone so far back as the twelfth century, the original
Tower of Johnstone may have been built in, if not even before, the thirteenth century.
AVheu the lauds of Johnstone and others were erected by Queen Mary, with con-
sent of the Regent Arrau, into a bakoxy to bo called the Bai'.oxy of Johxstoxe, in
favour of John Johnstone of Johnstone in liferent, and James Johnstone, his son and
apparent heir, in fee, in the year 1542, it was ordained that the tower and fortalicc of
Johnstone should be the principal messuage of the barony. The name of Lochwood is
not given to Johnstone Tower in the charter of the erection of the barony. Eut in
the subsequent charter, granted by King Charles the Second in favour of James, first
Earl of Aunandale and Hartfell, dated 23rd April 1C62, it was provided that one
sasuie to be taken by the earl at the principal messuage, tower and fortalice of John-
stone, othen\'ise called Lochwood, or at the tower and manor place of Kcwbie, sLould
be sufficient to the earl for aU the lordships, baronies, etc., although they did not lie
contiguous but in several sheriffdoms and jurisdictions, which were all thereby created
a free barony, lordship and earldom, to be called then and in all time thereafter, the
B.UIOXY, LOKDSIIIP, and EAKLDOM of AxXANDALE aud HaETFELL.
Lochwood Tower is situated near the northern boundary of the parish of John-
stone, in a wood of oaks, and surrounded with deep bogs and marshes. In its
proximity, about a mile away, is the river Annan. Its situation and environments are
described in the two following stanzas :
'•' 'Where placid Annan peaceful flows
Arid laves its low-laid level vale,
The Lochvrood's lofty towers arose,
AVhere dwelt the lords of Aunandale.
On Johnstone Moor, 'midst waving grass.
The towering fortress frowned afar,
Surrounded with a deep morass,
A safe retreat in time of war." i
The name given to the tower was one expressive of its situation. It was bounded
on the west by a large loch, and on the cast by the oak wood already mentioned.
» The Battle of Drjfe Sauds, 1S58, p. 11.