The Burden family used to reside in Feddal Castle, Perthshire, one of the richest estates in its part of Scotland, dwelling there from the mid-1600’s until the mid-1800’s. At that time the family disposed of the estate for the tidy sum of 32,500 pounds sterling and emigrated to the colonies. The castle still stands, however, though now in a state of abandonment and disrepair.
Feddal Castle, the Burden seat, near Braco, Perthshire Scotland
Traditionally the pater familias of the Burden clan was known as the Laird of Feddal. At the time of the reign of famous Scottish outlaw Rob Roy, in and around the 1720’s, a certain James Burden was the incumbent laird if we are to believe the chronology of George W. Marshall’s 1879 volume, The Genealogist.
Feddal Castle
According to the John Monteaths’ 1835 book, Dunblane Traditions, the young Laird of Balhaldie, a contemporary of James Burden, fancied himself quite a broad swordsman. He could not brook the fact that the Laird of Feddal “…was reported the ne plus ultra of the district in the management of the Highland broad sword, so dexterously adept that he could… ‘cut the button from the shirt-neck of an opponent without injuring his person’”. In order to determine who the “better man” was Balhaldie challenged Burden to a duel on the “banks of the Allan, below Greenloaning”. Here a desperate combat ensued with both men slightly wounded but neither gaining the advantage until Burden’s sword snapped off at the hilt. The Laird of Feddal “expecting to be instantly stabbed to the heart, sprang back and bared his chest to his foe.”
Apparently the Laird of Balhaldie was so impressed by this show of bravery that instead of killing him, he warmly embraced his opponent and swore eternal friendship.
Now at this time, the outlaw Rob Roy MacGregor used to sell protection for the cattle of wealthy landowners. The Laird of Balhaldie [5], being the chief of Rob Roy’s clan, paid nothing, but the Laird of Feddal was subjected to a steep tax which he could not or would not pay. As a consequence, one Michaelmas, when Balhaldie and Burden were partying riotously, word came that the herd of cattle belonging to Burden had been driven off by outlaws. The Lairds of Feddal and Balhaldie pursued and overtook the rustlers and a bloody and violent battle ensued in which the rustlers were vanquished.
The outlaws were in the employ of Rob Roy and this incensed the bandit king who surrounded Feddal Castle that night, intending to punish Burden for his transgressions. The story goes that the Laird of Balhaldie convinced his kinsman to relent and “…the wrath of Rob Roy was appeased…and after a carousal which lasted until the following morning…Rob and his men again betook themselves towards their fastnesses”.
REFERENCES
1. Burke’s Peerage Family Index p. 54
2. Dunblane Traditions-Being a Series of Warlike and Legendary Narratives, Biographical Sketches of Eccentric Characters by John Monteath, 1887
pp. 11-14
3. The Genealogist by George W. Marshall, London, George Bell & Sons, 1879 pp. 145-150
4. Wikipedia article: Rob Roy MacGregor
5. The Laird of Balahaldie at this time was Sir Alexander MacGregor who also went by the name Drummond as the clan name MacGregor had been outlawed due to its affiliation with the Jacobite rebels. Alexander was elected 17th Chief of the Clan Gregor in July 1714 and hence would have been Rob Roy MacGregor’s nominal superior.
If you have Scottish heritage or maybe just an inkling you’d like to visit the “Auld Country” check out: Homecoming Scotland 2014
Photo Credits
Photos of Feddal Castle – Public Domain from Canmore
1820’s engraving of Rob Roy – Wikipedia Public Domain
Hello
I am interested to find out if you know whether a James Burden who married Margaret Drummond is of the Faddal Burden family? James Burden and Margaret Drummond had a son (also named James) born on 19 Oct 1811 in Auchterarder, Perth. Given the birth year of their sons birth (1811) I dare say that James sr and Margaret would have been born around 1780 to 1790. Their son James (born Oct 1811) married Eliza Weir. Do you know if these people are connected to your James Burden of Feddal?
A Robert Graham (1740-1823) married Agnes Campbell Burden (1742-1812), who inherited Feddal Estate c.1770 and, required by a deed of entail, adopted his wife’s surname Burden then. Their son, also Robert Graham Burden, born c.1760, married a Ann McDonald, from which a single daughter Ann Graham was born, but the marriage must have been dissolved before 1809.
So is seems unlikely that the James Burden, who lived in Auchterarder in 1811, was closely related to the Burdens of Feddal.
MvB (not a Burden at all)
VERY INTERSTING
My forefather was John Burdon (in Swedish Johan Bordon) who came to Sweden about 1623 was married to Regina Sinclair and nobled. He got an estate from Queen Christina. I will go to Scotland and Feddal next summer and is trying to find outas much as possuble about the family and the places before.
Is it posible to buy the boog Life as a human – price?
Not sure I understand your last question Aron, looks like there may be a typogrpahic error. You can access Life as a Human free by going to lifeasahuman.com and you can request a complimentary on line subscription. I knew that a branch of the family moved to Sweden and became Swedish nobility also. Enjoy your trip to Scotland. The link below will give you some genealogical information on the family:
https://books.google.ca/books?id=b_Q7AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA149&lpg=PA149&dq=the+genealogist+burdens+of+feddal&source=bl&ots=ZZXK1Soeog&sig=jkQOEV8dG_y0yYbCF3L8bAQqUio&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi5xKWviIbeAhXqdN8KHd6ECG4Q6AEwBHoECAoQAQ#v=onepage&q=the%20genealogist%20burdens%20of%20feddal&f=false
This Baronial Feddal Castle was built in 1900 well after the Burden’s sold Easter Feddal Estate in 1879. This building was demolished in 1958.The more modest Old Feddal House (with a dating stone of 1683) is now a ruin.
Really! I would love to know more. I didn’t realize that the Baronial Feddal Castle dated that late. Who built it and why?
The heirs of William Stuart of Melville House, Portobello, Edinburgh, owners since 1879, sold Easter Feddal Estate to George Boyd Thornton, India Rubber Merchant and Manufacturer in Edinburgh in 1898. He wished to dwell on a grander scale and commissioned Edinburgh architect Alexander Wood McNaughton to build the Baronial Mansion in 1900. The Old Feddal House, built by the Burden family, gradually fell into disrepair. If you contact me by email I can provide you with some pictures of Old Feddal House.
I would love more information and pics of Old Feddal House. I appreciate the helpful information. You can contact me at: ptahbesobek@gmail.com
Hello, I’m interested in your knowledge of George Boyd Thornton’s activities. I am his great-grandson and am actively researching his life. If you’d like to swop information, you can email me at roddy@annelenzyoung.plus.com
I to am a great-grandson of George Boyd Thornton of Edinburgh who was owner of Old Feddal House built I believe in 1900. I would be interest to know which of his children you are a relative of.
I am a Bordon/Burden of Feddal – John Bordon came to Sweden ab. 1623 as a warrior, was a colonel and nobleman. I would very much like pictures of the old Feddal house and other information.
I think Johns father was James Burdon. Johan married Regina Sinclair in Sweden.
Aron, you can have a look at the Facebook Page, “Barony of Seabegs”. Also have a look at the Life as a Human article “Exploring the Ruins of Our Family Castle.”
In a family tree of the Burden’s of Perthshire, probably made in the 1890s, John Burden is described as follows: ‘Colonel in Swedish Service, ennobled 1643 and 1659. Married Annabella Rodgie of E(aster) Cowdoun in Strathearn (sold in 1614).’ So John probably remarried in Sweden. John was the 3rd son of John Burden of Auchingarrich (Between Braco and Comrie), whose (great?)grandfather John Bourdon owned Auchyngarrich already in 1564. This family is said to descend from Walter de Burghdon, Sheriff of Perth in 1295/6. Colonel John Burden’s two older brothers are James Burden of Auchingarrich, a minister who served in the area beween 1586 and 1627 and died before 1630, and William Burden of Feddal Mylne, who each acquired half of Easter Feddal in 1617. Auchingarrich was passed by the superior – James, Earl of Perth – in 1630 to this William Burden.
People of Celtic origin suffer from a condition called hemochromatosis caused by overload of iron. The carriers for this gene recover from iron deficiency induced anemia very quickly which is why the trait survived. They got over the effects much faster of the bloody sword battles for which the race had such a propensity and are able to fight on.
Are you living in Scotland? I am curious about if there are any Burdons/Bordons left in the country.
There are Burdens left in Scotland but not very many as far as I can determine. There are a lot of Lamonts which is the clan of which we are a branch or “sept”. I live Nova Scotia (“New Scotland”) in Canada, not Scotland though I go there pretty regularly for meetings of the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs. I represent Clan Lamont’s chief, Father Peter Noel Lamont of That Ilk who resides in Australia and who has been unable to attend meetings.