Transactions. 69 



Eighty years after the visit of Queen Margaret, Lincluden 

 was again visited by one of England's rulers, King James the 

 First. Attended by the dazzling Duke " Steenie" and a large 

 retinue, the King spent the night of the 2d August, 1617, 

 within the walls of the " Auld College," the occasion having 

 been evidently improved upon by some of his impecunious 

 courtiers, for although the duties of the Provostry had been 

 abolished for many years (mass being last said in the build- 

 ing in 1585) the office was continued until the date of His 

 Majesty's arrival in the district, when the lands were con- 

 veyed to Mr Robert Gordon of Lochinvar and Mr John 

 Murray of Lochmaben, two of the lords of the Bedchamber, 

 the then Provost receiving the grant of a life-rent. 



From the before-menticned datea it will be. perceived 

 that Lincluden was not involved during the period of the 

 Reformation in the common ruin and spoliation of all ecclesi- 

 astical buildings which had any pretension to architectural 

 beauty, and it seems highly probable that upon the death of 

 the last Provost it became one of the residences of the 

 Maxwell family, for in the charters and correspondence pub- 

 lished in the Book of Caerlaverock continual mention is made 

 of it down till 1660. At what time it ceased to be thus 

 occupied by them it is impossible to tell. Indeed, nothing 

 further is known of its history until the beginning of the 

 present century, when it became necessary to protect the 

 ruins from the depredations of the surrounding peasantry, and 

 the ruined wall along the east side of the road to the Cluden 

 was then erected. It does not seem to have affected its pur- 

 pose, however, for from then till now wanton destruction and 

 desecration have been the rule. 



Such then is a brief resum^ of the history of this ancient 

 bouse and a short account of its principal architectural 

 features. It only remains to be added that its present con- 

 dition is as unsatisfactory as it well could be, and that 

 fresh injury is being done each day to the finest portions of 

 the ruius. 



£ 



