REGISTRUM MAGNI SIGILLI REGUM SCOTORUM. Volume 4 (1546 - 1580), page 650, dated May 4, 1575.-- This is a charter of the King's in which he confirms an earlier charter made by John, Count of Lennox, Lord Dernlie -- to -- John Lockhart of Bar and his spouse Margaret Stewart. (The Gavin Ross protocol book shows John Lockhart and wife Margaret Stewart as living in June 1518!) The land involved is that of Lenfene, of 5 pounds ancient extent in the parish of Galston.

James Paterson's history of Kyle, page 530, reminds us that the land of Lanfine belonged to the chapel of Galston -- which was located in the tower.

It can be seen that the Stewart's of Lennox held immediately of the King, and that the Lockharts were holding as the sub-tenants of Lenfene. SO, actually the Tower of Bar in the long run was the ultimate responsibility of the Stewarts, in the medieval scheme of things. TOO, where is a good place to remember that the Stewarts had held the upper half of the district of Kyle (Kyle-Stewart) from an early date, a fact that adds to the possibility of the tower of Galston as being very ancient?

QUESTION: Who was this Margaret Stewart? Was she the reason the Lockharts came to hold a Stewart tower?

REGISTER of the PRIVY SEAL of SCOTLAND (or, REGISTRUM SECRETI SIGILLI REGUM SCOTORUM). Volume 2 (1529 - 1542), page 125, dated 1531. This reference is the source for putting the death of the John Lockhart, above, as being in 1531: "John Schaw of Sornbeg has slain John Lockhart of Bar".

In the same volume, under date of July 26, 1535, we read that John Lockhart of Bar has married (2) Jonet (Jane) Campbell, Lady Cesnock........This is Jonet Campbell's third husband. Her first husband was George Ross of Hanyng (died ca. 1530); her second, George Campbell of Cesnock (died ca. 1535). Ross of Hanyng is descended from her son John, and Campbell of Cesnock is descended from her son George. And since it is known that her third husband -- John Lockhart -- had two daughters from his first marriage, it would appear that it was her son John Lockhart from whom the Lockharts of Bar descended!

The Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, Volume 5, page 768 reveal that Lenfeyn had been in the King' s hand by reason of ward from 1526 up to 1539. This explains why the records of an under tenant -- the Lockharts -- are part of the archives of Scotland. Medieval law says that if a tenant's superior dies, the tenant is then the responsibility of the next overlord immediately above, which in this case was the King of Scotland. Hence, we have records!

INQUISITIONUM ad CAPELLAM REGIS retornatarum ABBREVIATIO. Ayr, No. 13, dated May 10, 1575. -- John Lockhart is the heir of his father John Lockhart of Bar, to 5 librates land of Lenfene in Kyle Stewart. (The "Registrum Secreti Sigilli Regum Scotorum", volume 7, No. 174, records the precept for a charter of confirmation to the lands of John Lockhart of Bar and is dated May 4, 1575.)

Interpolate into this account that John Knox received support from the Lockharts of Bar, and it becomes apparent that the ones so involved were this John Lockhart, died 1575, and his wife Jonet Campbell, born circa 1510 -- whose father was Matthew Campbell of Loudoun and whose mother was Dame Elizabeth Creichtoun of Ochiltree.

Timothy Pont represented "Barr tower" on his map of Galston parish as being on the east side of Burn Anne. The small circle below (north of) the bridge over that stream is probably a more exact site, for there was less space on the map for the tower's representatve drawing here, than if he should draw it above the bridge.