History Of Castle Huntly

A Memory of Castle Huntly.

Assisted and guided by my daughter, I have recently started researching my paternal ancestry and find Longforgan and Castle Huntly loom large in it. My great great grandfather, Robert Robertson (1775-1867) was gamekeeper there, and his wife, Elspeth Hall, was employed as the Hen Wife. My great grandfather, William Mather Robertson (1810-1897), aka The Mountain Muse of Broughty Ferry, was born there in 1810 and apprenticed to his father for the start of his working life. My grandfather Thomas (1860-1948) married Catherine Crabb of Longforgan in the Longforgan Church in 1890. My own father, Charles, was born in nearby Invergowrie in 1899 but emigrated to Australia in 1921 after being severely wounded in WW1 while serving with the Cameron Highlanders.

I visited Scotland this past October, following the ancestral trail and went to Longforgan and Castle Huntly, but of course could not get too close, a view and a distant photograph through the trees was the best I could do. Accordingly, I would be most pleased to receive any of the history of Castle Huntly that anybody may be able to provide. In particular Lorna Drummond who indicated in an early posting that she had such a history, but unfortunately a direct contact to the e-mail address given in her post was not delivered. Hopefully she may see this.

We were intrigued as to how William Robertson, the Mountain Muse, could have acquired his fluency and command of the English language evident in his stories and poems. As a gardener and son of a gamekeeper in the early 19th century, one would not expect an extensive formal education. However the following extract unearthed by my daughter could indicate how William received an education well beyond the norm of the time.

Quote:
"The Patersons (1777-1946)
George Paterson was born in Dundee in 1734 and having studied medicine began his working life as a member of the medical faculty. Later he was to serve in India as official secretary to Sir Robert Harland where he displayed great diplomatic and administrative talent. The great contest between France and England for supremacy in Hindustan was then at its peak, and the victories of Clive over Dupleix were looked upon, even by British statesmen as merely accidental triumphs. After Clive’s daring exploits in Ascot, where from that spot the terror of his name was to spread across India, he placed Mohammed Ali on the throne as Nawab. Paterson, who displayed a considerable administrative capacity, was to support Sir Robert in the important negotiations and diplomacy necessary in settling and defending the Nawab of Arcot.

Paterson amassed a large fortune in the East India Company and returned to Scotland in 1776 and in the November of that year was to marry Anne, youngest daughter of John, 12th Baron Gray. It is said that when a friend of the family remarked to Lord Gray that he was surprised at the engagement of his daughter to a commoner, Lord Gray replied — "Weel, she has the bluid and he has the fillings, so between them they will mak a guid puddin."

Paterson purchased the Castle and estates of Castle Lyon at the price of £40,000 being as many pounds sterling as the 40,000 merks (about £2,200) which Earl Kinghorne paid in 1614. In honour of his wife who was a direct descendant of the long line of Grays who had owned the castle, he changed the name back to Castle Huntly.

When Paterson took over the castle it was in a very dilapidated condition and the alterations which the Lyons had made were quite out of date. He spent vast sums of money in repairs and additions, building the fine Georgian wings to the NE side. The Old Statistical Account records. "The wings, embattled walls, round tower and corner turrets were added to the original building by him and many improvements were effected in the interior making very fashionable apartments suitable for modern requirements."

Paterson was a man of great ability and many interests. He was a pioneer in agriculture, most notable for two developments. He is credited with introducing the steam melon pit to the gardens, and in 1788 is reputed with the inauguration of the first threshing mill in the area. He was greatly interested in education and gave a yearly allowance of £30 to increase the salary of the local schoolmaster to £50 per annum; made an allowance to pay the fees of poor scholars; presented Bibles, Testaments and prizes to poor scholars and in 1825 set up a new school. He was good to the tenants in the village and the workers on his estate. During the winter following the bad harvest of 1795 he and Lord Kinnaird obtained 400 quarters of mealing oats from England which were supplied free to the poor. His presence was felt in Dundee where in 1775 he presented three lustres to the Town House; in 1776 he was Master of St David’s Lodge of Freemasons at the laying of the foundation stone of Trades Hall and in 1777 Deacon of the Nine Trades and the Weavers.

By his marriage with the Hon. Anne Gray he had seven sons and three daughters. He died in 1817 having reached his 83rd. year."
Unquote
Source: .electricscotland.com/history/kenneill/huntly/the_people.htm

Thomas Robertson
Sydney, Australia

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