David

You probably already know but for the basis of information:

Cowdams is between the Caldwell Estate and Neilston, Polkelly is just to the West of Fenwick.

Rowallan is just North of Kilmarnock. The other Mure property of note is Glanderston which is to the East of Neilston and close by the Mearns and Eaglesham.

The Mure's must have been relatively obscure and came into "the money" when Gilchrist obtained Caldwell through marriage as the Caldwell property is recognised as the seniority of the Mure establishment over the other four.

I also believe that the Caldwell-Coudham(Cowdams)-Glanderston properties (at least)were contiguous and that would give some idea of the extent of the Caldwell holdings.

Given that there is a strong Caldwell farming presence along the East side of Lochwinnoch valley from Beith/Dalry through to Kilbarchan/Johnston I think there can be every reason to believe that the area of Caldwell influence ran from roughly Dalry over the area of Walls Hill through Neilston and across to the very outskirts of Glasgow itself. This is a massive territory of influence and it seem very strange that it has been so hard to find refernce to our early Caldwell ancestors in history.

Oh - and we do also crop up in Kyle as well - especially Kyle Stewart.

Well, umm, the only answer is that we are some sort of a hive-off form the Stewart family. Gottabee guys I am nearly ready to stake my genealogical reputation on it (so don't say the obvious: what genealogical reputation?

Tom