Andrew Stuart, 1st Baron Castle Stuart

Described as 'a nobleman of impeccable background and proven military ability', he was the only son and heir of Andrew Stewart (d.1578), Master of Ochiltree, and Margaret, daughter of his first cousin Henry Stewart, 2nd Lord Methven of Methven Castle. He was the grandson of Andrew Stewart, 2nd Lord Ochiltree, whose title he succeeded to after his father predeceased his grandfather.

He became a General in the Artillery and held the office of General of Edinburgh Castle. He was appointed to the court position of Gentleman of the Bedchamber to James VI and I on 12 January 1587.[1] On the death of his grandfather in 1591, he became the 3rd Lord Ochiltree and inherited estates in Galloway and Strathclyde.

He was lieutenant and warden of the West March of Scotland in 1597.[2]

In 1608, he was sent by the King to quell feuds in the Western Isles, taking with him his uncle, John Knox. Though successful in this campaign, the King had no money with which to reward his military service and instead (in 1609) offered him 3,000 acres of land in County Tyrone, which included the Manors of Castlestewart and later Manor Forward, encompassing the area around Farlough and Roughan, all in the Barony of Dungannon. He was one of the chief 'planters' or 'undertakers' in the Ulster Plantation and in 1611 he settled on these estates. He built houses, farmed the land, constructed Roughan Castle and provided housing and employment for the local populace. He lived at Irry, which was later renamed Stuart Hall by his descendants.

In 1615, with the King's consent, to raise money he resigned the feudal Barony of Ochiltree and sold it to his first cousin, Sir James Stuart, son of James Stewart, Earl of Arran. As compensation, in 1619, James VI and I raised him to the Peerage of Ireland and created him Baron Castle Stewart. No parliament sat between the years of 1615 and 1634, so he never voted.

In 1587, he married Margaret, daughter of Sir John Kennedy of Blairquhan Castle, Ayrshire. They were the parents of five children:

• Sir Andrew Stewart (1590-1639) 1st Baronet & 2nd Baron Castle Stewart; married Anne, daughter of John Stewart, 5th Earl of Atholl
• John Stewart (d.1685), 5th Baron Castle Stewart; died unmarried
• Colonel Hon. Robert Stewart (1598-1662) of Irry, Co. Tyrone; ancestor of the Earls of Castle Stewart
• Hon. Margaret Stewart, married George Crawford of Crawfordsburn, Co. Down
• Hon. Maria Stewart, married John Kennedy, ancestor of the Kennedys of Cultra, Co. Down
• Hon. Anna Stewart, died unmarried

He is the ancestor of the Earls of Castle Stewart through his third son, Robert Stewart of Irry.

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