OS1/14/67/49A

Continued entries/extra info

[Page] 49A

"The Castle, or Tower of Mains," as it is popularly called,
is situated on the south side of the old parochial church-
yard of Strathdighty, or Mains, but separated from
it by a narrow dell. The age of this dilapidated
edifice is unknown. Some will have it to be as old
as the middle of the 12th. century, and to have
been built by, as it was the residence of, the famous
Gilchrist, Earl of Angus, whose Countess was a sister
of William 1st. In the year 1355, we find a
gentleman of the name of Malcolm Ramsay designed
of Mains, and to him perhaps the erection of the
Castle may be ascribed, though even his era
seems too early for it. It is more likely that it
was erected by one of the family of Grahame,
who held the lands until long after the rebellion
of 1745. The first of this family who acquired
lands in this neighbourhood was John Grahame
of Balargus, a cadet of the house of Strathcarron
and Fintry, who acquired the lands of Claverhouse
and others in this neighbourhood in the year 1530.
A descendant of this gentleman acquired the lands
of Mains, and to him we are inclined to ascribe
the erection of the Tower"
Extracts from Forfarshire illustrated page 31