Dunse History Society

 

The original Castle of Duns would appear to have been built by Randolph Earl of Moray in 1320 following a grant of the lands of Duns by his uncle Robert the Bruce. Moray had fought alongside Bruce at the Battle of Bannockburn and was married to Isabel daughter of John Stewart of Bonkyl.

Randolph died in 1332 and the Castle would appear to have passed into the hands of Patrick, Earl of Dunbar. However following the Battle of Halidon Hill the following year the manors of Duns and Chirnside were granted by King Edward 11 of England to Thomas de Bradestan.

Thereafter following a succession of changes of ownership they eventually came into the hands of James Cockburn of Langton.

In 1698 the lands of Duns and Crumstane were sold to William Hay of Drummelzier son of the Earl of Tweeddale in Peeblesshire for the sum of £228,034.14.3d. Scots or £19,002 17.10d sterling and have subsequently remained within the ownership of the family.

William Hay's wife was of the Seton family, a direct descendant of Mary Seton, one of Mary Queen of Scots' "Four Marys" and there are many connections with this family within the Castle.

 At this time the Castle would probably be little more than the original mediaeval keep. Tradition has it that when he was ill William Hay's wife had a fairly extensive extension built, what is now the west wing of the Castle. On enquiring as to the cause of the noise from the building work his wife apparently replied that it was nothing more than "a wee bit hen-hoose". This part of the Castle is to this day know n as "the hen house"