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Margaret Campbell Forbes of Towie

1532 - 1571

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Margaret Campbell Forbes of Towie was the wife of John Forbes of Towie, whose stronghold was Corgarff Castle. While her husband was off fighting the Gordons elsewhere, Lady Margaret held the castle with her young children.

In 1571, Adam Gordon of Auchindoun ambushed members of Clan Forbes at the Battle of Tillieangus. From there, he marched to Castle Forbes (now known as Druminnor Castle), the clan seat of Lord Forbes. After he dispersed the Forbes forces and sacked the castle, he sent Captain Thomas Kerr to Corgarff Castle, built in about 1550 by John Forbes of Towie. Towie's wife, Margaret Campbell Forbes, was in command of the castle and refused to surrender. Gordon ordered the castle to be burned with its occupants, including Lady Towie. According to Richard Bannatyne, Gordon “had not onlie defait the Forbesses (as befoir is said); bot also went to the hous of Towie, whilk he brunt and 24 persones in the same, never one escaping, but one woman that come through the cornes and hather.” (Journal of the Transactions In Scotland During the Contest Between The Adherents Of Queen Mary, And Those Of Her Son, 1570, 1571, 1572, 1573.) He relates that, “Adam Gordouns men laid the cornes, and tymbers, and hather about the hous, and set all on fyre.” A popular Scottish ballad called “Edom o' Gordon,” first printed in 1755 by Robert and Andrew Foulis, recounts the tragic events:

"Oh pity on yon fair castle,
"That was biggit wi' stane and lime
"And wae for Lady Campbell herself,
"Burnt wi' her bairnies nine
"Oh three o' them were mairried wives,
"And three o' them were bairns
"And three o' them were leal maidens,
"That ne'er lay in young men's airms."

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