Clan Agnew vs. Clan Douglas
The Agnews obtained regional power in 1363, during the reign of David II when their young chief was appointed constable at the Kings Castle in Lochnaw. The Agnew’s were given the task of evicting the previous constable, the chief of Clan MacClellan, who had refused to leave. The Agnew’s tricked the MacClellans into abandoning the castle by using a hanging man as a diversion. When the MacClellan’s became curious and left the castle to check out the swinging body, the Agnews pounced and subdued them and occupied the castle.
The Douglases became a powerful family in Lochnow by purchasing lands inherited by the Earl of Flemming who was despised by his neighbors and under pressure of retribution surrendered his lands, castle, power and privileges’ to Archibald Douglas for 500 pounds. The death of King David II in 1371 further increased the Douglases power in the area, Douglas used the time before the king’s nephew, Robert II, ascended to the throne to consolidate power in the area. All appointees to vacant offices in Locknow were forced to acknowledge the Douglases as their superiors. They decided that all officials were to swear allegiance to the Douglases at Threave. The Agnew’s of Lochnaw, who were loyal to the Scottish Crown and felt safe at their stronghold in Lochnaw Castle refused to bend to the Douglases. Archibald Douglas ordered a group of his Clansmen to Lochnaw to fetch the Agnew Chief and force him to Threave.
When the Agnew’s realized that the Douglases were on their way to Lochnaw they sent out an ambush party supported by their allies in the MacEwan clan. The Agnews attacked the band of Douglases in the valley of Piltanton where a fight ensued with both parties taking casualties but neither group winning outright. The MacEwans then approached the battle from the rear and were able to subdue the Douglases. The MacEwans stripped the Douglases of their arms and threw their weapons into the moss. They let the Douglases go free fearing retribution from the powerful Douglas clan. In response to this defeat Archibald Douglas sent a second party of his men to Lochnaw where they besieged the Agnew’s in their garrison and forced an unconditional surrender. They allowed the families inside the castle to leave unmolested but then took the opportunity to destroy it by burning it and toppling its battlements. The jurisdictions of the Agnews and their lands were then bestowed onto William Douglas, the illegitimate grandson of Archibald Douglas.
The Agnew’s appealed to the court of Robert III who was sympathetic to their cause but at the time could do little to help them. He did allow them to remain at Court where the Agnew chief gained the trust of Princess Margaret who had subsequently married Archibald Douglas junior, heir to the elder chief Douglas. After the elder Archibald died in 1401 and his son died in the battle of Verneuil in 1424, the Agnew’s were able to use their influence with the crown to regain their lands in Lochnaw. They built a new castle and Andrew Agnew was appointed to the Office of Heridity Sheriffs of Galloway. The Agnew family held and lived in Lochnaw Castle until 1997.