Road Trip Drive From Milnathort On A91 Road To Visit Castle In Menstrie Clackmannanshire Scotland

Tour Scotland travel video of a road trip drive, with Scottish music, in all kinds of weather from Milnathort in Perthshire, West on the A91 road through Yetts O' Muckhart, Pool of Muckhart, Dollar, Tillicoultry and Alva on ancestry visit to the Castle in Menstrie, Clackmannanshire. Menstrie Castle is a three storey manor house in the town of Menstrie, near Stirling. From the early 17th century, it was home to Sir William Alexander, 1st Earl of Stirling, who was instrumental in founding the colony of Nova Scotia in Canada. It was later owned by the Holburn or Holborne family, who were created Baronets of Menstrie in 1706. The castle was built around 1560 by the Alexander family, a branch of the Clan MacAlister, who had anglicised their surname. Sir William Alexander was born here around 1577, and later became known as a poet. He gained a place in the Royal Household of King James VI, eventually becoming a member of the Privy Council of Scotland in 1615, Principal Secretary of State in 1626, and Earl of Stirling in 1633. In 1621, he was appointed governor of Nova Scotia, an area of North America including the modern Canadian provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, and the Gaspé Peninsula. In order to populate his territory, the Baronetage of Nova Scotia was devised in 1624, whereby Baronetcies were sold to support colonists. The scheme was a financial failure, and in 1632 Nova Scotia was returned to the French, who had claimed the area originally. Alexander died bankrupt in London in 1644. Menstrie Castle was burned by the Royalist James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose in 1645, during the English Civil War. It was sold to James Holborne of Menstrie in 1648. A major general in the Scottish army, Holborne had a chequered career during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. The castle was purchased by George Abercromby of Tullibody in 1719, and his family held the estate until 1924, although the buildings had begun to deteriorate from around 1750. George's son, Ralph Abercromby, who became a major British military hero, was born here in 1734. The family moved from the castle around 1740 to Tullibody House, and the castle was left empty. All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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