WELLSHOT, the property of Michael Gray Buchanan, Esq., is situated in the parish of Cambuslang and county of Lanark, and is about four miles from Glasgow.
The manor of Drumsargat formed of old the whole of the parish of Cambuslang. It belonged in ancient times to the family of De Moravia or Murray of Bothwell. From them it passed, by the marriage of Archibald the Grim, Earl of Douglas, to the heiress of that family, into the great house of Douglas, in whose family it continued till 1452. It was then acquired by James, Lord of Hamilton, and a large part of it still remains in the possession of that ducal house.
The Hamilton family feued off portions of the Barony at various times; and about the beginning of this century certain lands called Rosebank, which formed part of it, were in the hands of David Dale. This well known citizen of Glasgow in former days came to the city in early life, and commenced business in a small shop in the High Street as a dealer in yarn. He was appointed agent for the Royal Bank on its opening a branch in Glasgow, and half of his shop was then converted into the Bank office. He afterwards realized a large fortune.
In 1805 he feued off the part of his lands of Rosebank, which now form Wellshot, to John More, Cashier of the Royal Bank in Glasgow. Mr. More, who built the house in 1806, was at great expense levelling and improving the grounds, and forming the garden and policies. The next proprietor was William Forlong, wine merchant in Glasgow, father of William Forlong of Erins; thereafter William Bentley was the owner, and from his trustees Wellshot was purchased in 1841 by the late proprietor, Thomas Gray Buchanan. Mr. Gray Buchanan was a member of a family long connected with Glasgow, and was the owner of the estates of Eastfield, Scotstoun, and Stonelaw, a notice of the first of which is given in another part of this book. On the death of Thomas Gray Buchanan, his second son, the present proprietor, succeeded.
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