page_title: Caldwell, East Renfrewshire
section_title: The Mures
hierarchical_section_title: Caldwell, East Renfrewshire / History / The Mures, Caldwell House and the estate / The Mures
caption_attribution_description: English: A photograph of Caldwell House
context_page_description: Caldwell is a mansion and old estate with the remains of a castle nearby. These lands lie close to the Lugton Water and the villages of Uplawmoor in East Renfrewshire and Lugton in East Ayrshire.
context_section_description: In 1294 the estate of Caldwell had boundaries which abutted the Steward's forest of Fereneze. Sir Reginald More or Mure, of Abercorn, held the lands of Cowdams near Symington even before 1328 and his son Gilchrist Mure of Cowdams acquired the lands and castle of Caldwell through marriage to the heiress of Caldwell of that Ilk. John Mure was designed 'of Caldwell' in 1409. In about 1450 Ramshead, Biggart, and Little Highgate (in the Barony of Giffen) lands were granted to the family. The estate of Little Caldwell remained with the Caldwells of that Ilk until the late 17th century and was added later to the larger estate by purchase. The most ancient seat of the Mure family was Polkelly, near Kilmarnock.
  When King David II was taken prisoner at the battle of Nevill's Cross, Sir William Mure of Caldwell was appointed as one of the twelve nobles who negotiated the terms for his release. He was held as hostage until the ransom was paid in full.
  William Mure was a Baron of the Scottish Exchequer and factor for the Scottish estates of the Earl of Bute. The Mure family were connected through marriage with Oliver Cromwell, the Lord Protector.
  William and Alexander Cuninghame of Aiket castle were accused of the murder of Sir John Muir of Caldwell on the lands of Bordland in 1570, but were acquitted. Alexander was involved in the murder of Hugh, 4th Earl of Eglinton at the Annick Ford in Stewarton and was murdered in turn as a result, whilst the father was poisoned by his own wife!
  Colonel William Mure the laird in the early 20th century, was married to the Honorable Lady Georgiana Montgomerie of Eglinton Castle, eldest daughter of the Earl of Eglinton and Winton. Their only son was William Alexander Mure, born at Eglinton Castle in 1912, the same year his father died, was the last member of the family to be born in Scotland.
  The burial vault of the Mures of Caldwell is in Neilston church, under the gothic window at the north end of the church. Only those Mures who were in the direct line of succession were permitted to be buried here. The family's patronage of Neilston church was later disposed to the Mures of Glanderston.
caption: Caldwell House circa 1910.[11]
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