A Castle, Golf Course, and Angry Scotsman

I still don't think I fully appreciate the great opportunity I had to travel to Europe with my parents when I was about 15 years old. We spent most of our time there in Scotland where many of our Muir ancestors are from. While in Scotland we got to learn more about our ancestors as well as tour a very secluded castle where they once lived.

Depiction of the Muir castle in the 1800's

The Muir family line has been a major part of Scottish history for the last 1000 years or so. Due to one of my ancestors major part in a battle during European history, King Alexander III made sure that he and his descendants would be able to receive and keep the Rowallan (also known as Muir) Castle in Scotland. Many of my famous ancestors, such as Elizabeth Mure lived in this castle and became connected through marriage to royal lines of blood. The continuing decedents took part in a lot of battles throughout the coming years before the family eventually held no part in the castle, and it became a historical site in the 20^th century.

My Parents & I at the Castle in 2006 

 Due to my immaturity at the time all I remember of my visit to the castle is the fight we almost got in with a full blown Scotsman. The castle, although a historical site, now resides on land owned by a golf course, which at the time was under construction. In attempting to tour the castle a man with a gun approached us. If we didn't have the two heads of the National Scotland History Association as our tour guides we might never have been able to pass the fiery Scotsman which guarded the castle, let alone leave the castle alive.