the 1821 census, although it has since declined. Abercorn Castle A castle also existed here, near Hope Burn, from the 12th century, belonging to the Avenel family. It passed through marriage to the Graham family in the mid-13th century and to the Mure family in the early 14th century. The Clan Douglas acquired the castle around 1400. It was besieged and sacked in 1455 by James II in his attack against the "Black Douglases" and their chief James Douglas, 9th Earl of Douglas. It passed to the Seton family but they did not restore the castle and it was thereafter left to decay, such that it is now only marked by an earth mound. The site was excavated by archaeologists in 1963. Ecclesiastical history Bishopric For a very short time, Abercorn was a residential bishopric. In 681, during the reign of King Ecgfrith of Northumbria, Theodore of Tarsus, Archbishop of Canterbury, appointed Trumwine "Bishop of the Picts", with his seat at Abercorn. This was part of a more general division of the Northumbrian church by Theodore, who also created the Bishopric of Hexham by separation from the Bishopric of Lindisfarne. Four years later, Trumwine may have been present at the defeat and death of Ecgfrith at the Battle of Dun Nechtain, after which he was forced to flee from his Pictish bishopric, retiring to the monastery at Whitby. The bishopric of Abercorn thus ceased to be a residential diocese. Titular see It is today listed by the Catholic Church as a titular see. The diocese was nominally restored as a Latin Catholic titular bishopric in 1973. It must not be confounded with the former Diocese of Abercorn in southern Africa. It has had the following incumbents, all of the lowest (episcopal) rank: Richard Charles Patrick Hanifen (1974–1983) John Aloysius Mone (1984–1988) John Charles Dunne (1988–), Auxiliary Bishop emeritus of Rockville Centre (USA) Notable burials in Abercorn Very Rev Hugh Meiklejohn Ian Hamilton Finlay, poet Sir Robert Dalyell, 8th Baronet Gallery See also Duke of Abercorn Trumwine of Abercorn Newtownstewart, County Tyrone References Sources and external links Gazetteer of Scotland Ancient Lothian GigaCatholic with titular incumbent biography links Villages in West Lothian