~ History ~

1240's ~ John Balliol and his wife Lady Devorgilla build themselves a stone castle beside the Water of Urr, on the site of a timber fortification.

1290 ~ Lady Devorgilla dies, having resided in the castle after seeing its first foundation stone laid some fifty years earlier. Her son who had already succeeded his father some twenty-three years earlier, already has extensive lands in northern England, centered on Barnard Castle.

1292 ~ Balliol is chosen by King Edward I as King of Scotland, and in doing so to serve his interests in Scotland. Buittle castle is returned to the Balliol's from their arch-rivals the Bruce's who had taken the castle.

1296 ~ Following King Balliol's rebellion against King Edward, the castle is occupied by English forces.

1313 ~ King Robert the Bruce captures and destroys Buittle Castle.

1314 ~ John Balliol dies in exile at his family's château at Hélicourt in France.

1324 ~ Robert the Bruce grants Buittle to Sir James Douglas

1332 ~ John's son and heir, with English backing is crowned King Edward Balliol of Scotland, following Robert the Bruce's death and his son David still only a child. Within three months he is forced to flee half-naked back to England, following a surprise attack by nobles loyal to Robert the Bruce's infant son, at the Battle of Annan.

1333 ~ Edward Balliol is restored to the throne of Scotland following the siege of Berwick and the Battle of Halidon Hill. Buittle Castle is restored to him.

1346 ~ Edward Balliol is returned to Scotland after the defeat of King David II at Battle of Neville's Cross.

1356 ~ Balliol surrenders his claim to the Scottish throne to King Edward III in exchange for an English pension. He dies nine years later. The ruins of Buittle is returned to the Douglas's.

1455 ~ The lands of Buittle passes to the Johnstone's following the crushing of the Black Douglas's by the Scottish Crown.

1500's ~ The Gordan's of Lochinvar build themselves a fortified tower house near to the site of the old, ruined castle using much of the material for the stonework.

1680's ~ The tower house passes into the powerful Maxwell family.

1790 ~ Old Buittle tower house is recorded as utterly ruined and roofless.