FORBES, John of Asloun ^{1 2}

   User ID: H946

  General Notes:

"Asloun Castle is the fragmentary ruin of a 16th-century Z-plan tower house situated about 2 miles (3.2 km) southwest of Alford in Aberdeenshire, Scotland [....]

The castle was likely constructed before 1563 for a branch of the Calder family, as evidenced by a charter signed by John Cowdell (or Calder) de Asslowne in that year. Ownership records trace back to at least 1496 with Robert Calder of Asloun, followed by John Calder, who married Elizabeth Forbes of Towie around 1549 and exchanged lands with the Forbes in 1562. The Calders held the estate until 1625, when James Calder assigned its reversion to John Forbes of Balnagask, marking the transition to Forbes family control; subsequent lairds included John Forbes in 1641 and Robert Forbes in 1653."

from Asloun Castle

Notes:

1

In Scots law 'to assign a reversion' meant that an individual had the authority to transfer the right of redeeming ownership of land (which would normally have returned to the original owner upon the payment of a loan or wadset) to a third party. The assumption is that Asloun had been used as security by the Calders, and that in 1625 James Calder transferred the right to redeem the land on payment of the debt to John Forbes of Balnagask. James Calder, the original landowner, thereafter had no right to buy back his land. The assignee, John Forbes of Balnagask, now possessed that right. He could then pay what was owed, terminate the wadset and claim full ownership of the estate. He was then free to do with it as he chose.

2

The assignee, John Forbes of Balnagask of the Monymusk family, was a different individual from John Forbes of Asloun of this file, who was of the Balfluig family, though they were 2nd cousins once removed. ³

  Noted events in his life were:

• Sheriff-Depute, 1647, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

John married Elizabeth FORBES, daughter of Sir William FORBES 3rd of Monymusk, Baronet and Elizabeth WISHART.^{1 2} (Elizabeth FORBES was born about 1608.)

  Marriage Notes:

"John Forbes, now of Asloune, son to the sd. John Forbes of Corsendae, married Elizabeth Forbes, daughter to the Laird of Monymusk, qose bairns bear witnes themselves"

from Family of Forbes




"John Forbes of Asloun, third son of the 7th Laird of Corsindae, married Elizabeth, daughter of William Forbes of Monymusk, by whom he had two sons, William, his heir, and Robert in Park, and two daughters, Barbara (wife of Arthur Forbes of Echt, and third wife of the 12th Lord Forbes), and Jean."

from House of Forbes ^{1 2}