(77) Alexander of Boydstone and Carlung

Archibald Alexander (d. 1771), who owned property in Lanarkshire, bought lands at Boydston alias Boydstone on the Ayrshire coast, between Ardrossan and West Kilbride, in 1759.  Either he or his son Archibald (c.1736-1820) was presumably responsible for building a modest three bay house with sea views on the estate, which became known as Ann’s Lodge.  The son also purchased the Carlung estate at West Kilbride in 1799.  His property appears to have been divided between his two sons, with the elder, Archibald (fl. 1823) receiving Carlung and the younger, Major Alexander Alexander (d. 1843), Ann’s Lodge and Boydstone.  Archibald died without issue and so Carlung also passed to Alexander, who advertised the Boydstone and Ann’s Lodge estate for sale in 1836 but in fact retained this and sold Carlung.  Ann’s Lodge passed to his son, Dr. Archibald Alexander (1812-83), Deputy Inspector-General of Hospitals for Scotland, and to then to his two sons in turn, Surgeon-Maj. Archibald Charles Alexander (1854-1900) being succeeded by William Edward Robert Alexander (1856-1927).  The latter’s son, Reginald Crawfurd Alexander (c.1891-1963) seems to have sold the estate and lived at Bewerley Old Hall, Pateley Bridge (Yorks) at the time of his death.

Ann's Lodge, Boydstone, Ayrshire

Ann's Lodge c.1910.  Image: North Ayrshire Heritage Centre via Flickr

The house began as a plain three-bay Georgian house with a shallow pediment containing an oculus, built before 1814 on the coast between Ardrossan and West Kilbride.  In the late 19th century it was extended in almost every direction, most notably by the addition of three very different bay windows on the west, sea-facing elevation, which made it remarkably ugly. There are strong indications that the house was not occupied by the Alexander family in the late 19th century, but W.E.R. Alexander was resident in 1921. The house was later demolished. 

Previous owners: sold 1759 to Archibald Alexander (d. 1771); to son, Archibald Alexander (d. 1820); to son, Archibald Alexander (fl. 1823); to brother, Alexander Alexander (d. 1843); to son, Dr. Archibald Alexander (1812-83); to son, Surgeon-Maj. Archibald Charles Alexander (1854-1900); to brother, William Edward Robert Alexander (1856-1927); to son, Reginald Crawfurd Alexander (c.1891-1963), who sold...

Carlung House, West Kilbride, Ayrshire

Carlung House in 1900.  Image: North Ayrshire Heritage Centre via Flickr

A house reputedly of c.1560 was replaced after 1770 by a new house on a new site nearer the village built for the Boyd family.  This was described in 1823 as a ‘modern house of moderate size, set down in a fine commanding situation’, but was itself rebuilt or remodelled c.1845-53 as a compact two-storey gabled house with a gabled porch, dormer windows and thin Tudor hoodmoulds around otherwise classical windows, and deep eaves suggesting Italianate influence.  The staircase hall and billiard room were redecorated by A. & J. Scott in 1880, but this house in turn was destroyed by fire in 1902.  Proposals by Leadbetter & Fairley for rebuilding the house in 1905 were not executed, and a completely new and much larger two-storey stone house was built in 1930-32 by James Austen Laird for his uncle Robert Barr, a whisky and shipping magnate.  This present house is in a rather English neo-Elizabethan style, with an E-plan on both main fronts and a lower service wing to the north.  Over the entrance door is a carved Viking ship, and to the left a quatrefoil panel with a dolphin flanked by narrow windows.  Inside, the stair and gallery and some of the main rooms of the flats have surviving panelling and beamed ceilings.

Carlung House as rebuilt in 1932.  Image: s1homes

This is of simplified Elizabethan design, with mullioned and transomed windows, and an H-plan.  The garden front has canted bay windows and the interior Austrian oak panelling and beamed ceilings.  It was converted into five apartments in 1979.

Previous owners: sold 1799 by Jean (d. 1825) and Marion Boyd to Archibald Alexander of Boydstone (d. 1820); to son, Archibald Alexander (fl. 1823); to brother, Alexander Alexander of Boydstone (d. 1843), who sold after 1837...James Arthur (1819-85); to widow, Mrs. Arthur (fl. 1902); ? to son, Sir Matthew Arthur, 1st bt. and 1st Baron Glenarthur (1852-1928)...sold to Robert Barr (fl. 1928-32)...sold 1976 and divided into five apartments, 1979.

The Alexanders of Boydstone and Carlung

Alexander, Archibald (d. 1771).  Landowner in Lanarkshire and Ayrshire.  He married Mary Brownlee of Strathaven and had issue: 
(1) Mary Alexander, m. 1742 John King of Micklegovan; 
(2) Archibald Alexander (c.1736-1820) (q.v.).
He purchased the lands of Boydstone, West Kilbride (Ayrshire).
He died in 1771.

Alexander, Archibald (c.1736-1820).  Only recorded son of Archibald Alexander (d. 1771) and his wife Mary Brownlee of Strathaven, born c.1735-36.  He married Jane/Jean (d. 1812), daughter of Duncan Crawford esq and had, probably among other issue: 
(1) Archibald Alexander (c.1770-c.1830) (q.v.); 
(2) Maj. Alexander Alexander (d. 1843) (q.v.). 
He inherited the Boydstone estate from his father in 1771 and purchased the Carlung estate at West Kilbride (Ayrshire) in 1799.  He was probably responsible for building the house called Ann's Lodge at Boydstone.
He died 19 March 1820, aged 84.

Alexander, Archibald (c.1770-c.1825).  Elder son of Archibald Alexander (c.1736-1820) and his wife Jane, daughter of Duncan Crawford esq., born about 1770.  He was unmarried.
He inherited the Carlung estate from his father in 1820.
He died after 1823, and was probably the man of that name described as 'of Edinburgh', who was buried at Lasswade (Midlothian), 4 August 1825.

Alexander, Maj. Alexander (d. 1843).  Younger son of Archibald Alexander (c.1736-1820) and his wife Jane, daughter of Duncan Crawford esq.  Major in the Army.  He married, 29 October 1800, Grace, second daughter of Angus McAlester of the Loup, chief of the Clan Allaster of Kintire and had issue: 
(1) Jane Alexander (c.1804-68), of Greenbank Cottage, Helensburgh (Dumbartons); died unmarried 13 April 1868;
(2) Amelia Alexander (c.1810-86) of Ardrossan (Ayrs); died unmarried, 21 July 1886;
(3) Archibald Alexander (1812-83) (q.v.).
He inherited the Boydstone/Ann's Lodge estate from his father in 1820 and the Carlung estate from his brother after 1823, which he sold after 1837.
He died 21 October 1843, and was buried in the West Church cemetery, Edinburgh.

Alexander, Archibald (1812-83).  Only son of Maj. Alexander Alexander (d. 1843) and his wife Grace, daughter of Angus McAlester of the Loup, born 18 August 1812.  Served in 7th (later 4th) Hussars; deputy Inspector General of Hospitals in Scotland; JP for Ayrshire. He married, 15 April 1853, Agnes MacKnight (d. 1891), fourth daughter of William Crawford Esq. of Cartsburn (Renfrews) and had issue: 
(1) Alexander Charles Archibald Alexander (1854-1900) (q.v.); 
(2) William Edward Robert Alexander (1856-1927) (q.v.).
He inherited the Ann's Lodge estate, West Kilbride from his father in 1843.
He died at Cheltenham, 10 April 1883, aged 70; his will was registered in Ayr Sheriff Court, 17 June 1883.

Alexander, Alexander Charles Archibald (1854-1900).  Elder son of Dr. Archibald Alexander (1812-83) and his wife Agnes McKnight, daughter of William Crawford of Cartsburn (Renfrews), born 10 June 1854.  Educated at Cheltenham College and Trinity College, Cambridge (BA 1877), St George's Hospital Medical School, London (MRCS 1881, LSA 1881); surgeon in Army Medical Dept from 1882; surgeon-major, 1889; served in the Expedition to the Sudan, with 1st Batt., Coldstream Guards, 1885.  He was unmarried.
He inherited the Ann's Lodge estate, West Kilbride, from his father in 1883, but was living at Loup, which belonged to his mother's family, at the time of his death.
He died at Loup, near Ardrossan (Ayrshire), 23 January 1900; his will was registered in the Ayr Sheriff Court, 1900.

Alexander, William Robert Edward (1856-1927).  Younger son of Dr. Archibald Alexander (1812-83) and his wife Agnes McKnight, daughter of William Crawford of Cartsburn (Renfrews), born 7 August 1856.  Deputy Surgeon General.  He married 1st, 1 December 1887 at Byfleet (Surrey), Mary Louise (d. 1909), daughter of Stephen Wright Hawks of Redheugh Hall (Northbld) and 2nd, 1910, Katherine Melicent, second daughter of John Richard Cromwell Taunton of Ashmead, Leckhampton (Glos) and had issue including: 
(1.1) Archibald Charles Edward Alexander (1888-1915); served in 3rd Battn, Royal Scots Fusiliers, 1910-15 (Lieutenant); killed in action; 
(1.2) Reginald Crawfurd Alexander (c.1891-1963) (q.v.).
He inherited the Ann's Lodge estate, West Kilbride, from his elder brother in 1900, when he was living in London, but was resident at Ann's Lodge in 1921.
He died in Brighton, 20 March 1927; his will was proved 5 August 1927.

Alexander, Reginald Crawfurd (c.1891-1963).  Second but eldest surviving son of William Edward Robert Alexander (1856-1927) and his first wife Mary Louise, daughter of Stephen Hawks of Redheugh Hall (Northbld).  He apparently emigrated to Australia before the First World War, returning to England in 1927 after his divorce from his first wife. He married 1st, 19 April 1919 in Queensland (Australia) (div. 1927), Mary Alice Donovan, and 2nd, 1929, Mary (d. 1961), daughter of James N. Ripley of Harrogate, solicitor, and had issue:
(1.1) William Robert Edward Alexander (1920-43); born in Australia, 6 April 1920; served in Royal Australian Air Force; married and had issue a daughter; killed in action at Port Moresby (New Guinea), 16 June 1943; buried in Bomana War Cemetery, Port Moresby. 
He inherited the Ann's Lodge estate, West Kilbride, from his father in 1927, but subsequently sold it.  At the time of his death he lived at Bewerley Old Hall, Pateley Bridge (Yorks).
He died 8 May 1963, aged 72; his will was proved 23 October 1963 (estate £23,955).

Sources

Burke's Landed Gentry, 1871; Walford's County Families, 1919; G. Robertson, A genealogical account of the principal families of Ayrshire, vol. 1, 1823; M.C. Davis, The castles and mansions of Ayrshire, 1991, pp. 198-99; R. Close & A. Riches, The buildings of Scotland: Ayrshire & Arran, 2012, p. 211.

Location of archives

No significant archive is known to survive.

Coat of arms

Quarterly, 1st, argent, a lion rampant gules, holding a battle axe, or; 2nd, or, a hand sustaining a pair of balances of equal scales; 3rd, argent, a lymphad, sales furled, sable; 4th, per pale, argent and sable, a chevron, and in base a crescent, counter-charged.

Revision & Acknowledgements

This account was first published 28 September 2013 and was revised 3 April 2015, 21 May and 29 May 2015 and 10 January 2023. I am grateful to Jean Milne, Megan Daniel and Andrew Fraser for corrections and additional information.