Garthland Castle Garthland Castle was a castle that was located near Garthland Mains , Stoneykirk , Rhins of Galloway , Wigtownshire , Dumfries and Galloway , Scotland . The castle was possibly built in AD1211 , as a datestone bearing that date has been discovered within the Garthland Mains estate . It would appear that further extensions in AD1274 were undertaken , as another datestone has been re - used within the Garthland Mains estate . The castle was seat of the family of M ' Dowall of Garthland , Barony of Garthland , Stoneykirk , Wigtownshire . In AD1295 Sir Dougal MacDougall ( McDowell ) had a Charter from his 3rd cousin , King John Baliol Lord of Galloway , John de Balliol , confirming the Barony of Garochloyne ( Garthland ) with Lougan ( Logan ) and Elrig in the Rhins of Galloway , Stoneykirk , Wigtownshire . History . Alexander of Argyll or Alexander of Lorne , also known as Alexander MacDougall ( ; died 1310 ) , was a Scottish magnate from the late 13th and early 14th century , and was chief of Clan MacDougall . Alexander was the son of Ewen MacDougall , Lord of Argyll . Although the details of Alexander ' s early life are largely unknown , he appears to have succeeded to his father ' s position as Lord of Argyll and Lorne and head of the MacDougall kindred after the latter ' s death in 1268 . Alexander appears to have been named after King Alexander III of Scotland . In AD1275 Alexander MacDougall was involved in a Scottish invasion against the King of Man of the Isle of Man , an island near Wigtownshire Galloway south - west Scotland . ( In 1296 the widow of the King of Man signed the Ragman Roll with men from Wigtownshire . ) n 1284 he joined with other Scottish noblemen who acknowledged Margaret of Norway as the heir of Alexander . As the succession crisis resulting from the unexpected deaths of Alexander III ( 1286 ) and then his designated successor Margaret ( 1290 ) developed , Argyll took a prominent part in the succession dispute . He was married to the sister of John II Comyn , Lord of Badenoch , key ally and kinsman of the Balliols . Alexander found himself as a firm Balliol supporter as the Balliol ' s vied against the Bruces to take the succession . He served as one of John de Balliol ' s auditors during the Great Cause , and after the latter ' s accession as King , Alexander was a key ally and helped King John establish his sheriffdoms in the west . The alliance between MacDougall and Balliol developed from and caused an alliance between MacDougall ' s main regional rival , Alexander Og MacDonald , and the Bruces . In AD1296 Alexander MacDougall was captured during the Battle of Dunbar by English forces and was imprisoned at Berwick Castle until his release in 1297 . After the deposition of Balliol in 1296 , MacDougall opposed the power of his new overlord Edward I of England . The failure of Balliol ' s kingship also helped to fuel conflict between the two west Galloway kindreds as part of the civil and international conflict known today as the First War of Scottish Independence ; in 1299 MacDougall killed Alexander Og . ( Og may mean son or grandson ) In the Scottish Archives , Papers of the Dalrymple Family , Earls of Stair , GD135 / 783 2 Aug 1671 , Lands of Leffnoll and Auchindarrochmark , an Extract Great Seal charter of resignation to William Mcdowall [ McDowall ] son of Sir James Mcdowall thereof , kt . , of the lands and barony of Garthland ( defined ) , resigned by said Sir James ( Mcdowall ) and William and Andrew Houstoune [ Houston ] lately of Garthland , and sasine dated 26 August 1671 following thereon . ( Sasine recorded 4 September 1671 ) .