There are various historical accounts surrounding the origin of the castle. I suppose the question now before us is whether our line actually descends from these McCulloh's of Galloway? It is certainly possible but to the best of my knowledge our line has not been traced back past the arrival of Archibald McCulloh from Ireland to America in the 1740's. Oh, but isn't it fun to imagine?
Cardoness castle was a McCulloh stronghold for over 200 years and was built in around1475 by James McCulloh.Why was the McCulloh stronghold named "Cardoness"? Cardoness apears to be the name of another ancient family which either owned the land before the McCullohs owned it or at some later date. The following delightful legend, which surrounds the early history of the castle, provides one possible answer:
The Robber Laird with Nine Daughters
In ancient days a wild laird had spent his entire fortune in the construction of Cardoness Castle. Though the walls were magnificent, it was roofed with heather: there was money for no more. His neighbours were amused, and enemies set fire to it with flaming arrows. Seeking to fill his coffers once more, the laird joined a band of reivers – thieves and border raiders who acknowledged no law. He was as fierce as the best of them, and soon his chests were filled with gold and silver coin, overflowing with rich communion cups and ropes of pearl and other plunder.
Once he had enough he bade farewell to the band of robbers and retired to his great estate. The building was completed; his creditors – those bold enough to insist – were paid; he was lord of all he surveyed. Ahough everything should now have been happiness and plain sailing, it was not. He longed for a son, but as year followed year his wife presented him with an endless succession of daughters. There were nine of them –sometimes it seemed like ninety.
Then a tenth time his wife was with child, and yet again his hopes rose.
One morning in January, just before his wife’s confinement, he burst into her room, and with the passionate ferocity of his reiving days informed her that if this time she did not present him with the son he desired, he would take herself and the baby and the other nine useless daughters, and drown the lot in the deep Black Loch on the estate. Then he would find himself a wife who knew how to have sons!
His wife was terrified, for she knew that he was perfectly capable of doing what he said. How great was her relief when this time her prayers were answered, and two or three weeks later the howdy (midwife) who was attending her held up a wriggling baby son.
The robber laird was delighted and his joy infected the whole neighborhood. By way of celebration he ordered a great midwinter feast to be prepared on the thick ice of the Black Loch. Everyone was invited.
On a bright Sunday morning, with the air biting cold though the sun shone cheerfully, the festive crowds converged on the loch through the snowy trees. The laird was there with his wife and baby son, and all his daughters save one –who was ill and had to be left behind at the castle in the charge of the nurse. Servants carried heavy salvers of roasted venison from the shore, ale was mulled by glowing braziers, musicians played, young couples danced, fat farmers’ wives fell to the ice with shrieks of merriment.
Suddenly, when the gaiety and feasting were at their height, the ice snapped with a fearful ringing, splitting sound, and all those at the heart of the throng vanished from sight into the loch –the wicked laird, his wife and son, and everyone one of the daughters.
