1399 The Cunninghams
Upon the coast, on a rising ground,
is situate the castle of Finlaystone,
the seat of the Earl of Glencairn...
a noble and great building around a court" (1710).

Sir William Cunningham of Kilmaurs, who married Margaret Denniston of Glencairn & Finlaystone was descended from an Anglo-Norman family. His grandson Alexander Cunningham was created Earl of Glencairn on 28th May 1488. He was killed in battle fourteen days later. Of the fifteen Earls of Glencairn, three were Governors of Dumbarton as the Dennistons had been before them.

Alexander, 5th ("The Good") Earl, succeeded in 1547, and like his father was an outspoken supporter of the Reformation.

William, 9th Earl, supported Charles I & II. In 1655, having harassed Cromwell's General Monk, he was betrayed and imprisoned in Edinburgh Castle, and only narrowly escaped execution. At the Restoration, Charles II made him Lord High Chancellor of Scotland ...in consideration of the great and imminent services of this noble peer, who had an equal talent both for camp and court.

One of his military exploits was to rise from his sick bed in Luss and carry out a skilful attack on the English troops quartered at Dumbarton Castle. Mustering a force from among his friends and dependants in Renfrewshire, led by his neighbour, Sir George Maxwell of Newark, he crossed the Clyde by the ford at Dumbuck and swooped down upon the English about one in the afternoon, when they were at dinner. Over thirty were killed and twenty taken, the others escaping to Dumbarton Castle.

William, 13th Earl 1734 - 1775
James, 14th Earl, rescued Robert Burns "from wretchedness and exile". The bard left evidence of having dined here by scratching his name on a window pane. He called his son James Glencairn Burns, and wrote a lament for the dead earl in 1791. But I'll remember thee, Glencairn, And a' that thou hast done for me.

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