Graham family, Dukes of Montrose

The Graham family was an important landowner in medieval Scotland and by the 16th century owned estates in Perthshire (Abernethy, Callander, Kincardine etc.), Stirlingshire (Dundaff, Mugdock etc.) and elsewhere, including East Kilpatrick (Dunbartonshire) and Montrose (Forfarshire). Patrick Graham was created Lord Graham in 1445 and his grandson William, Earl of Montrose in 1503. The estates were forfeited on the execution of the 1st Marquess of Montrose in 1650, but restored in 1660 to the 2nd Marquess, who, however, was obliged to sell his Forfarshire property. In 1680 the 3rd Marquess bought Buchanan (Stirlingshire).

The 4th Marquess (1682-1742), created Duke of Montrose in 1707, inherited Braco (Perthshire) from Sir James Graham in 1689 and the estates of the 2nd Earl of Airth and Monteith, including Aberfoyle (Perthshire) and Drymen (Stirlingshire) in 1694. In 1703 the 1st Duke bought the Lennox and Darnley estates in Dunbartonshire, Perthshire, Renfrewshire and Stirlingshire, formerly held by Frances Stuart, Duchess of Lennox and Richmond. He also acquired the forfeited lands of Rob Roy near Loch Lomond (Stirlingshire). The 2nd Duke (1712-90) sold the lordships of Darnley (Renfrewshire) and Kincardine (Perthshire) but bought extensively in Stirlingshire.

Together with the Lennox and Monteith estates a quantity of family papers of the Stuart Dukes of Lennox and the Graham Earls of Airth and Menteith passed to the 1st Duke of Montrose. Other Menteith papers entered the possession of the 2nd Earl of Airth and Menteith’s executor, Sir James Graham of Gartmore (Perthshire) and his descendants.

Estates in 1883: 68,565 acres in Stirlingshire; 32,294 acres in Perthshire; and 2,588 acres in Dunbartonshire, worth £24,872 a year.