Volume 1 - Electric Scotland

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MANSIONS FORMERLY BELONGING TO THE JOHN-
STONES OF JOHNSTONE AND ANNANDALE.
XEWBTE TOWEIJ.
Ix addition to the four mansinn-liuiists now descvilpcd there were other fuur which
suliscqueutly passed out of the possession of the Johnstones of Johnstone and Annan-
dale. Of these Kowbie Tower is the only one tliat wa.5 for any lengthened period
inhabited by the family.
This auelont residence of the Johnstones of Annaudale is located near Annan. It
was acquiredYrom the Johnstones of Graitney by Sir James Johnstone of Jolinstonc,
who was killed by John Lord JlaxwcU in ICOS. Its acquisition, and the ditBculties
experienced in maintaining peaceable possession of it, arc esplained in the memoir of
James Johnstone, first Earl of ilarlfell.
Newbie continued one of the principal mansions of the Johnstones till the time of
James, third Earl of Hojietoun, who .succeeded the Marqui.s of Annandale in the
Annandale estates in 1792. This earl having other two mansions in Annandale
Itaehills and Moffat House,—and having also his noble mansion of Hopctoun House, as
well as Ormiston House on his Hopetouu estates, sold Xewbie in ISOO to Jlr. William
Neilson, merchant, Liverpool. Mr. NeiLson's trustee in 1820 sold it to Mr. John
Twine, whose nephew of the same name in 1851 sold it to Mr. William Mackenzie. At
JMr. Jlackeuzie's death IS'ewbic passed to his successor, Mr. William Dalziel ^Mackenzie,
who is the present proprietor of Xewbie Tower.
STAELETON TOWERS.
This mansion is situated in the p.arish of Dornock. The fir.st M.arquis of Annan-
dale provided the lands of Stapletou to his younger brother, the Honourable John
Johnstone of Stapleton, and to the heirs of his body, whom failing, they were to revert
to the Marquis and his heirs. Upon the death of John without issue, Stapleton,
according to this arrangement, reverted to the Marquis.
On the property there was a strong square tower of hewn stone, three storeys high,
with battlements on the top, and vaulted below. The tradition is tliat the tower was
built as a stronghold against the Euglish by one of the numerous Irvings in tlie
district.i
' OKI Statistical Aecount, jinrish of Dornoolc. vol. ii. y. 54.