Previous mentions of ancient feuds in Angus concentrated on
the conflicts between the powerful families of Ogilvy and Lindsay, whose bloody
rivalry rumbled on and off for generations.
But there were of course others involved in the struggle for power and
addiction to violence through the ages.
Early in the 16th century the Red Douglas kindred, Earls of
Angus, delegated their authority as Barons of the Regality of Kirriemuir to
Ogilvy of Inverquharity Castle.In 1524, Inverquharity ordered the Ogilvys of
Clova to stop feuding with the Grahams of Mains Castle. Forty-four years later the reckless Graham
chief was ordered to come to Kirriemuir to answer the charge that he had
kidnapped a follower of Ogilvy of Inverquharity. Graham did indeed come to Kirriemuir, but
with him were a band of 1,000 men, including a party of Lindsays. They took over the town and forced Ogilvy to
fleedback to his nearby castle at Inverquarity.
The wayward Grahams also maintained a long running rivalry wit the
Fotheringhams of nearby Wester Powrie.
The latter were adherents of Lindsay, Duke of Montrose, and were angry
that the Grays had been awarded the Sheriffhood of Angus after Lindsay’s
forfeiture. The Grays inflicted severe
damage of Powrie Castle in 1490.
The Lindsays wasted
much time and energy in internecine fighting.
A Lindsay from Glen Quiech who pretended to be the heir to the lands of
Barnyards was challenged by Lindsay of Finavon.
Finavon was slain and his killer fled, so the half finished castle of
Barnyards was never completed. A Lindsay
Laird of Edzell was once forced into hiding when the Lindsay Earl of Crawford
was after him. Edzell hid in the
wildness of Glen Mark, but the earl found him, so Edzell was forced to make a
desperate leap across a gorge in the Water of Mark to escape. He landed safely on the other side, but
several of Crawford’s men fell to their deaths on the rocks below. The chasm was afterwards called Egil’s [Edzell’s] Loup.
Inverquharity Castle, stronghold of the Ogilvys.
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