Friars' Carse is a B-listed mansion house situated (NX 926 850) 2 km / 1.5 miles southeast of Auldgirth on the main road (A76) to Dumfries, Scotland. The property is located on the west bank of the River Nith and is known for its strong associations with Robert Burns who lived for a while at the nearby Ellisland farm.
The present mansion house hotel is of a baronial style in dressed red sandstone, constructed around an earlier house in 1873 by the architects Barbour and Bowie and extended by the same architects 1905 - 09. The principal (southeast) range has a complex wide faced frontage and incorporates a peculiar round tower with a rectangular second stage corbelled out above. An armorial panel dated 1598 was built into the entrance tower range in 1909. The house has a fine panelled entrance hall and snooker room, together with an elegant staircase and 21 en suite bedrooms; it is placed within 18.2 ha (45 acres) of parkland and woodland.
The name Friar's Carse derives from a monastic settlement which was established nearby by the monks of Melrose in the 13th century. The present punctuation convention for Friar's Carse, with or without the apostrophe, is at variance with the older convention of Friars' Carse; the 'Carse of the Friars'.
By the 16th century, there was a tower here, with a cap-house surrounded by a prominent parapet (see engraving). In the 17th and 18th centuries, this was extended to include lodgings with crow-stepped gables, enclosed within a courtyard.
The older buildings were replaced by a more modest Georgian mansion, known as Glenriddell, built 1771-73 for Robert Riddell or Riddel, a friend and patron of the poet Robert Burns (1759–96).
On Robert Riddell's death in 1794, his widow could have allowed the property to go to Walter Riddell, her brother in law, who, under the terms of his brother's will, would then merely have had to pay her an annuity to retain the estate. Robert's widow disliked Walter Riddell to such an extent that she refused to exercise this option and the property was sold, passing out of the family's hands. Walter was wealthy in his own right, having made his fortune overseas and he had married the poetess, Maria Banks Woodley in Antigua, naming his new estate in her honour.
A Captain Smith was the purchaser of Glenriddell and he in turn sold the estate on to Provost John Crichton of Sanquhar, brother of John Crichton, purchased on his behalf in 1809. The house and estate had therefore been purchased for Dr James Crichton (1765–1823), who had made his fortune with the East India Company in the trade with China and had lived at Canton. In 1812 he took up occupancy and changed the name of the property from Glenriddell back to Friar's Carse and died here in 1823. His widow remained at Friar's Carse until her own death in 1862. The Crichton Royal Hospital in Dumfries was founded by her with a bequest of £100,000 in her husband's memory, or in other accounts founded by Dr Crichton himself.
Elizabeth Grierson of Lag, Dr Crichton's widow, sold the estate to Mr Thomas Nelson of Carlisle who added very largely to the house, although he preserved the most interesting part of the old building. In 1895, the trustees of the Crichton Royal Institution became proprietors of Friar's Carse, and it became a convalescent home in connection with the treatment of the insane. The Post Office Fellowship of Remembrance were the next owners.
Alexander Fergusson of Craigdarroch married 'Bonnie' Anna Laurie or Annie Laurie in 1710, daughter of Sir Robert Laurie, Bt., of Maxwelton, the Annie Laurie of the song. Although she lived at Craigdarroch for over 50 years, she died at Friar's Carse on 5 April 1764, aged 81. The whereabouts of her grave is unknown, however she may have been buried at Craigdarroch.
It is recorded that the lands of Carse were given by Affrica, a daughter of Edgar, to Melrose Abbey in around 1215. Edgar was a son of Dunevald and grandson of Dunegal of Stranith. Edgar had possessed the lands under William the Lion. A monastic Grange of the Cistercian monks may have existed nearby as indicated by the name 'Grange Mill'. Abbot Andrew feued out the abbey's lands in 1536, granting the £4 lands of Freirkers and its Grange Mill, together with the restricted multures of the £36 lands of Dalgonar, and other lands to John Kirkpatrick of Ellisland.
At the reformation the commendator granted the property to the Laird of Elliesland or Allisland (sic), a cadet branch of the Kirkpatricks of Closeburn. The Kirkpatricks built a tower house of 'Freerscarss' here as recorded by Timothy Pont on his map of Nithsdale circa 1595. Francis Grose noted that when demolished in 1773 to make way for the mansion house, the old refectory walls were measured at 8 feet thick and the fireplace 12 feet wide. Near the house was the loch or Lough (sic), the fish-pond of the friars. In the middle of this loch was an artificial island, a crannog, built from large oak piles and planks; the hiding place of the friar's valuables upon occasions of the not infrequent intrusions by the English into Strathnith. A dugout canoe and other finds were made when the loch was drained.
Friar's Carse passed from the Kirkpatrick's to the Maxwells of Tynwald in 1634, and from them to a cadet branch of the Lords of Maxwell, the Barncleugh family. The Riddells of Glenriddell obtained the estate from the Barncleughs in 1784.
A ninth or tenth century cross stands on a modern base in the grounds and is the only remaining example surviving from a collection of several stones, put together by Captain Robert Riddell, and once placed along the driveway to the house; one or more may have been at the site originally. Francis Grose recorded that stones from nearby Lag and Morton Castles were in the collection at one time; the Lag stone cut with the letters I. G. and the arms of the Grierson family, namely three cushions, in the centre of a mullet. Robert Riddell went so far as to construct an imitation Bronze Age circle of weathered stones. This bogus stone circle of 38 stones, all standing except three, one of which is in the centre and one just W of the circle; the site was named Templewood.
The lands of Carse once belonged in the 14th century to the Red Comyn and upon his murder eventually passed to King Robert the Bruce.
To the north of Friar's Carse is a site reputed to have been an encampment built by the Roman general Agricola.
Robert Burns lived at the nearby Ellisland Farm from 1788 to 1791.
Burns was probably introduced to Captain Robert Riddell and his wife, Elizabeth Kennedy of Manchester, by Patrick Miller of Dalswinton, his friend and landlord. In September 1788 he composed The Day Returns as a compliment to Riddell and his wife, commenting that At their fire-side I have enjoyed more pleasant evenings than at all the houses of fashionable people in this country put together. Robert had fought in the American War and was an accomplished musical composer and muscician as well as an antiquarian.
In April 1791 Burns completed a collection of his poems for Robert Riddell's library and these have become known as the Glenriddell Manuscripts. These were later returned to Burns.
Burns visited Wanlockhead in January 1792 in order to explore the lead mines. He was accompanied by Maria Riddell, Robert Riddell's sister. They breakfasted at Sanquhar and then took a poste-chaise to the mines. They went a considerable distance into the mines, braving the dark, wet and cramped conditions at first, however they had to turn back as Burns fund the poor air very distressing. Burns did not record this visit, however Maria included the details in a letter.
Robert Riddell set up the Monkland Friendly Society at Dunscore together with Robert Burns and helped to organise and censor its library of 150 volumes. Riddell was the President and Burns was the secretary of the society that met on every fourth Saturday. Wanlockhead and Leadhills also had libraries at this time, set up and run through the subscriptions of members.
Burns refers to Riddell's coin collecting in the Election Ballad of 1790: -
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Glenriddel, skill'd in rusty coins |
Robert Riddell discovered a gold ring weighing 1 oz. and set with a pale blue stone near Friar's Carse in May 1791.
In December 1783 Burns's friendship with the Riddells ended following a drunken incident at Friar's Carse known as the Rape of the Sabines; a 'raid' against the ladies which was too realistic and exubarent for good taste. He was ordered off the premises and Elizabeth Riddell never forgave Burns. Robert Riddell died at the age of 39, before any chance of a healing of friendships was possible. Walter and Maria Riddell moved to London upon Robert's death and when she returned, to Tinwald House near Dumfries, she eventually forgave Burns for his indiscretion.
News of this dissolute and dissipated affair seems to have reached the ears of his Excise superiors in Edinburgh and harmed his reputation.
The well known antiquary, artist and author, Francis Grose, stayed at the Carse for a few months whilst visiting sites in the area such as Lag Castle for inclusion in his book, The Antiquities of Scotland, published in 1797. Grose struck up a strong friendship with Robert Burns and this artistic collaboration resulted in Burns composing Tam o'Shanter. Fine, fat, fodgel Grose was how Burns described his rotund friend.
On Friday, 16 October 1789 (1790)at Friar's Carse, Robert Burns was present at a famous drinking contest where three lairds set out to see who could be the last man able to blow an ebony whistle inherited by Robert Riddell. This was a repeat of previous contests in which the winner was to have the old ebony Whistle as the trophy; the event was immortalised in the poem The Whistle.
The winner was able to consume over eight bottles of claret (others say five or six). Alexander Fergusson of Craigdarroch was the winner, being able to still stand and blow the whistle; Sir Robert Laurie of Maxwellton collapsed on the floor; and Robert Riddell retired and went to his bed. The Duke of Buccleuch's chamberlain, McMurdo of Drumlanrig was the judge at the event, with two other neighbours acting as witnesses.
Some references say that the ebony whistle had been brought over from Denmark by a courtier in the service of Queen Anne's husband, Prince George of Denmark. Confusion has arisen as the first drinking contest had been won in a competition by a previous Sir Robert Laurie and the original owner of the whistle, a courtier in the train of Anne of Denmark, wife of King James IV of Scotland; in a second contest his son, Walter, lost the whistle to Walter Riddell, an ancestor of Robert Riddell.
Groome records that the ebony whistle became the centre of drinking contests through the habit of the original Danish owner, a man of 'gigantic stature' who would challenge all comers, the last person able to blow the ebony whistle being the winner. Sir Robert Laurie took on the massive Scandinavian and in a contest that lasted 'three days and three nights' left the courtier beneath the table, and claimed the whistle.
Allan Cunningham relates that The Bard himself, who drank bottle and bottle about, seemed quite disposed to take up the conqueror when the day dawned.
Captain Robert Riddell of Glenriddel had built a small summer house called the 'Hermitage' in a secluded part of the estate, just a few fields away from Ellisland. Burns often used the building in this idyllic setting for writing poetry, having been given the key to the gate set in the Ellisland march-dyke and apparently also enjoying drinking sessions with Robert Riddell.
On Riddell's death at the age of only 39, the Hermitage was allowed to quietly decay; by 1803 it was being used by stray stock and in 1810 it was reported as derelict. It measured 10.5 feet by eight and had a single window and fireplace.
Although the original building no longer exists, Mr Nelson of Friar's Carse built another 'Hermitage', of a different design, on the same site in 1874. The building was recently (2009) restored again and now has interpretation boards detailing its history.
Burns had written the lines on the Hermitage window to the memory of Robert Riddell:
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Thou whom chance may hither lead, Life is but a day at most, |
The original was preserved and is now in the Ellisland Farm museum. The new building's window had the same lines inscribed upon it, however they are now in the mansion house and the Hermitage's windows have no inscription. Friars' Carse at one time held the original Burns manuscripts The Whistle and Lines Written in the Hermitage.
