The Cochranes of Cowden

"The ruin of Auchens House is located about a mile from Dundonald Castle and was the home of the Cochrane's in the late 1600's."

The following text is taken by permission of the Clan

Cochrane website. More information on the clan can be viewed at the website http://www.clancochrane.org

“The chiefship was in jeopardy, when, during the early 1600's, William Cochrane of that Ilk, had no male children. He ensured that whoever married his daughter Elizabeth be bound to assume as their own the Cochrane name and coat of arms. Elizabeth married Blair who took his wife's name and estates. The Cochranes acquired their peerage in 1647 and their son Sir William Cochrane was created the first Earl of Dundonald in 1669. At that time, the family owned the house connected to Paisley Abbey. Today this house is open to the public.

It was Elizabeth's eldest son Sir John Cochrane who became a colonel for Charles I and began the recurring "fighting Cochranes", a line of chiefs who consistently served their country, both on land and at sea, with distinction. In October 1745, the seventh Earl, a supporter of the Hanoverian succession, had his horse shot from under him at the West Port of Edinburgh while jacobites were in possession of the capital. After the death of the seventh Earl the descendants of Sir William's second son became the Earls. In the 17th century Dundonald in Kyle was purchased. This was a castle built by the Stewarts as a hunting lodge in the 12th century.”

The ruin of Auchens House is located about a mile from Dundonald Castle and was the home of the Cochrane's in the late 1600's. At that time it is believed to have been part of a large deer park and was an impressive building with turrets and crow-stepped gables. The house was constructed from the stone from Dundonald Castle. There is now a splendid walk from the Castle to Auchens through the woods.