190 lochfergus. 



Roland. 



He was succeeded by Roland, the son of the murdered 

 Uchtred. Roland at once proceeded to regain his father's pos- 

 sessions, and restore his own authority in Galloway. From the 

 " Chronicle of Melrose " we learn that on the 4th of July, 1175, 

 he met and defeated the supporters of the late Gilbert in a battle 

 in Galwela. We canot trace where this fight took place, but it 

 was a sanguinary battle, and many were slain. Roland proved 

 victorious, and slew Gilpatrick, the commander, and in order to 

 strengthen his position in Galloway Roland built a great many 

 fortresses and castles in Galloway. At this time, no doubt, 

 Buittle, the old Castle of Kenmure, Kirkcudbright, and others 

 were built. He also fought another battle with Gillecolum, or 

 Gilcolm, in which the latter was slain, but Roland lost a brother. 

 Gillecolum was a notorious freebooter, who had not only 

 terrorised Galloway but had carried his depredations as far as the 

 Lothians. Several authorities assert that he was a Gallovidian. 

 The Scottish King was greatly impressed with Roland's bravery, 

 but it was otherwise with the English King, who was not only 

 jealous but afraid of this famous fighting Gallovidian. How- 

 ever, on the death of Henry II., Richard I., King of England, 

 agreed for a stipulated sum to restore to Scotland its indepen- 

 dence. Thus was peace completely restored in Scotland once 

 more, except in the North, where Donald Bane preferred a claim 

 to the Crown. Roland joined William in an armed expedition 

 composed of Galloway men against Donald Bane. The Royal 

 Army met the insurgents near Inverness, where a fierce battle was 

 fought, and Donald Bane was defeated and killed. Roland died 

 at Northampton on the 19th December, 1200, and was buried in 

 St. Andrew's Church there. He was not only a brave soldier, but 

 a wise statesman, and at his death Galloway enjoyed peace, free- 

 dom, and prosperity. He was also a strong supporter of the 

 Church. In 1190 he founded a monastery at Glenluce for 

 Cistercian Monks, and also granted to the Monks of Kelso some 

 salt-works in Galloway. He was \ery wealthy through his wife 

 succeeding to the estates of her father, Richard de Morville, Lord 



of Cunninghame. 



Alan. 



Roland's eldest son, Alan, succeeded him as Lord of Gallo- 



I 



