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The castle was the
main residence of the Jardine family of Applegirth, in Dumfriesshire,
when they became a chiefly clan. The du Jardon family came to
England with William the Conqueror in 1066, and are first recorded in
Scotland in 1153. It is not known whether Alexander Jardine (who,
with Lord Maxwell, routed the English near Carlisle in 1524), or his son
John, built the original tower, but the most famous Alexander Jardine
was created the first Baronet of Applegirth in 1672, and apparently
created the ghost of Spedlins Tower, possibly inadvertently, by allowing
the local miller, Dunty Porteus, imprisoned for reportedly burned down
the mill, to starve to death in Spedlins dungeon during a trip to
Edinburgh. Happily the ghost apparently moved on to Jardine Hall
after the family moved across the river to their new opulent quarters.
Spedlins Castle languished into ruinous condition [see first photo] for
almost 200 years until the tower was restored in the 1970s by a Mr. and
Mrs. Gray. The castle is currently owned by a Scottish physician
and his wife.
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