Cardoness Castle In AD1220 an old Cardoness Castle was noted in records , when a Nicholas de Kerdenes and his wife Cicely were in dispute with the monastery at Dundrennan over Cicely ' s dowry - the litigation went on for over 20 years . Nicholas was probably descended from one of a number of Anglo - Norman lords who were persuaded by the King of Scotland to settle in the area in an attempt to reduce the power of the Lords ( King ) of Galloway ( MacDowalls ) . The newcomers were well advised to build strong castles and many of these fortresses survive . In AD1277 Bertram de Kerdennes was a witness to a charter by King Alexander III ( reigned 1249 - 1286 ) confirming a grant by Devorguilla de Balliol ( step - sister of Thomas of Clan MacDowall of Garthland Stoneykirk Wigtownshire ) to Glasgow Cathedral and in AD1282 Sir Bertram de Kerdennesse was a witness to the surrender by Robert de Campania to Devorguilla , of all his lands in Borg ( Borgue , Stewartry of Kirkcudbright ) . note : McCulloch of Ardwell , Stoneykirk , Wigtownshire was a neighbour of McDowell of Garthland , Stoneykirk . On 18 June 1342 Sir Malcolm Fleming had a charter of the lands of Kerdones ( Cardoness ) , in Galloway , from King David II in excambion for the lands of Mochrum which the King had formerly given him , and three other charters from said monarch of the lands of Lenzie , Kilmaronoch , and the barony of Dalliell in free warren , the lands of Rinnes of Wigtown , and the lands of Sithboger in the barony of Lenzie forfeited by Thomas Balcasky . He married a lady whose Christian name was Marjorie , to whom cloth and furs were given by the King in 1329 . Malcolm Fleming , the King ' s esquire , and Marjorie his wife , the King ' s nurse , died about 9 November 1343 , and there is a note of a charter of lands in the sheriffdom of Dumfries to Malcolm Wallayis ( Wallace ) , said to be resigned by Marjorie Fleming , Countess of Wigtown , foster - sister to King David II , but this was probably her daughter Marjory . [ The Scots Peerage VIII : 520 - 522 ] Tradition asserts that in the 15th century an heiress of the de Kerdernes family married a McCulloch ( from Wigtownshire ) ) and tells a grim and dramatic tale of how she became the last of her race . " A certain laird of Cardoness , having exhausted his resources in the building of his castle , joined a band of Border thieves and amassed considerable property by plunder . During twenty years of married life his wife had borne him nine daughters ; but this did not satisfy his now increased anxiety to perpetuate his name , and he threatened his lady that , unless at her approaching confinement , she produced a son , he would drown her and all her nine daughters in the Black Loch and look out for another wife . The probability of his carrying out this threat was not doubted for a moment , and hence great was the joy of the lady and her neighbours when she actually presented her husband with a boy . It was now midwinter ( c . 1395 ) and the lake was firmly frozen over so the Laird announced his determination of giving a grand fete on this same Black Loch . In accordance with his orders , on a certain Sunday , his whole family was there assembled , excepting one daughter , who was unable to join the party ( some versions of the story state that she was attending her mother at home ) . The revels were at their height when , suddenly the ice gave way , and the old " de Kerdernes " was plunged himself into the dark waters , and perished miserably with all his family , only excepting the one young lady , who , having thus narrowly escaped the same fate , shortly after , married one of the McCullochs " . Cardoness Castle is a well - preserved 15th Century tower house , in Anwoth Civil Parish area , just south west of Gatehouse of Fleet , Kirkcudbrightshire , Galloway south west Scotland owned by the MacCulloch family of Galloway also known as the MacCullochs of Myreton , Wigtownshire . By 1628 Cardoness belonged to John Gordon Clan Gordon , head of a family with whom the McCullochs had long feuded . In 1690 Sir Godfrey McCulloch shot dead John Gordon ' s son , William Gordon . Sir Godfrey escaped to France , but was spotted in Edinburgh in 1697 and beheaded on the Maiden , the Scottish equivalent of the guillotine . Cardoness Castle passed through the hands of a number of owners before being placed in State care in 1927 . Today it is cared for by Historic Scotland . Fleet Bay can be seen from its battlements . It is now in the care of Historic Scotland .