SLAUGHTER  AT  STEWARTON

The murder of Hugh 4^th Earl of Eglinton in 1586

 By Archie  Mckellar  MA (Hons)

In the sixteenth century Ayrshire was divided into three bailiaries, in the south was Kyle, in the centre was Carrick and in the north Cunninghame. The bailiary of Cunninghame was small but it held two earls, Cunningham and Montgomery and was also home to Lord Boyd. This area was productive in dairy produce and wheat but there were constant feuds among the earls over landholding.

Throughout the sixteenth century a serious blood feud between the Cunninghams and the Montgomeries defied all attempts to settle it. The feud started when the Cunninghams of Glencairn succeeded to the commendatorship and administrative offices of Kilwinning and the territorial patronage that went with it. A prosperous area reflected by the high rents paid by its tenants to Kilwinning Abbey. This meant that Montgomery and Glencairn due to this dispute were likely to take opposite sides on the major political or religious questions of the day.  Part of the manor house at Eglinton estate was burned during the feud. The Cunninghams a very determined family and would use violence   when necessary they had earlier used violence against the Mures of Rowallan when they fought over the clerkship of Stewarton Kirk in 1508. The minor office of parish clerk, the parish priest’s assistant, which carried its own emoluments, was also subject to lay influence. The post was open to oral votes with the major landowners of the parish having the final say often leading to disputes and in the case of the Cunninghams and Mures violence. 

On the 19^th of April 1586, Hugh the 4^th Earl of Eglinton set off from his home, Eglinton Castle, near Irvine to attend the Court of King JamesVI at Stirling. Expecting no trouble the Earl had only his domestic servants with him, en route he decided to stop at Langshaw long enough to dine with his kinsfolk there. After a hearty meal of the finest food and wine he bid farewell to his kinsfolk and left to continue his journey to Stirling. The Lady of Langshaw at that time was Lady Montgomery, Margaret Cunningham the daughter of Cunningham of Aitket a bitter enemy of the Montgomeries. It is believed that the Lady of Langshaw told her kinsfolk of the Earl’s intending visit and they decided to lie in wait for him when he left Langshaw to continue his journey.

As most of the Cunninghams lived near Langshaw it is believed that when the Earl was about to leave Lady Montgomery or one of her servants- who had been ordered to do so- climbed to the battlement of the house and hung a white table napkin over the wall as a signal to the Cunninghams that the Earl was about to leave. A signal earlier agreed by Lady Langshaw and the Cunninghams to indicate to them that the Earl was on his way.

Over thirty of the Cunninghams lay in wait in the low ground near the River Annick for the Earl to pass. The Earl fearing no danger at that part of the journey was suddenly set upon by the Cunninghams in warlike fashion. Some of the small company who were with the Earl were hewn to pieces John Cunningham of Clonbeith came up to the Earl produced a pistol and shot him dead on he spot. This action struck everybody with horror and amazement, the like of which had never been seen in Stewarton before. The Montgomeries vowed to avenge the 4^th Earl’s brutal killing and set about to kill every Cunningham they could find.

James the Earl of Glencairn, Lord Kilmaurs distanced himself from the brutal murder and left his kinsfolk to the law, which proved he had nothing to do with the killing. Sir Robert Montgomery killed John Maxwell of Stainly, a friend and ally of the Cunninghams in Paisley he also shot Alexander Cunningham of Montgreenan, the commander of Kilwinning at his own gate. In revenge Patrick Maxwell of Newark shot dead William Montgomery and his eldest son on the same day. During this revenge attack Cunningham of Aitket was also shot dead. John Cunningham of Clonbeith escaped but was hotly pursued by the Montgomeries and was found hiding in a chimney in a house in Hamilton. John Pollock who was a son-in-law of the house of Langshaw traced him, brought him down from the chimney and cut him up in pieces. Cunningham of Robertland and Cunningham of Corsehill both managed to escape to Denmark, they were eventually pardoned when Queen Anne of Denmark married King James VI of Scotland.

Resentment was so high against everyone who was suspected of having a part in this brutal murder that Lady Langshaw, who was Countess of Aitket had to seek refuge for her own safety. It was strongly believed that she had fled to Ireland but this was not true she had found refuge in the home of one of her husband’s most trusted friend’s a tenant by the name of Robert Barr who had feued Pearce Bank. She hid in the garret, was fed by Mrs Barr and only ventured out when it was dark.  Before her death she was overlooked and returned to Langshaw House but never again did she present herself to a Montgomery.

Langshaw House is now known as Lainshaw House and was for a long time a home for the elderly. It has been claimed that the ghost of Lady Langshaw has been spotted wandering the corridors of the house wearing a green dress and carrying a candle. Others have heard the sound of her crinoline dress at midnight on certain nights.

The site where Pearcebank stood is now known as High Peacockbank. The present houses standing on the site date back to the late eighteenth century, however there is evidence that a building or buildings existed prior to that date. This is believed to be the remains of the original house, Pearcebank.  

Dr Howie, the well-known retired GP who owns a house on the site told the writer that Mrs Howie has on one or two occasions felt an unexplained presence in an outbuilding at the back of their house. On two separate occasions an apparition has been caught sight of at the same point by two different people visiting Dr and Mrs Howie. Both apparitions were female and both were different, the last one has still to be identified. Has Lady Langsaw returned to her hideout?

Plans have been drawn up for Lainshaw House to be converted into private living accommodation. It would be a privilege to live in a house which is so rich in Scottish History not only with this episode but also with the history William Cunningham junior whose religious views led to the Stewarton Case which was the cause of the 1843 Disruption of the Church of Scotland, almost three centuries later. 

The author is indebted to Dr P Howie for supplying information on High Peacockbank,

the former site of Pearcebank where Lady Langshaw sought refuge more than four centuries ago

© Archie  Mckellar