Ownership by Monks
Hestan came under the ownership of Dundrennan Abbey in the 12th and 13th centuries and monks from the Abbey used the island for fishing. The remains of the ‘Monk’s Pool’, a walled enclosure, are still just visible at the end of the Rack, which was used by the monks for trapping fish at low tide.

Edward Balliol, One-time King of Scotland
Hestan’s most notable historic feature is the remains of Edward Balliol’s manor house. Balliol was king of Scotland for brief periods in the 1300s. After his power waned, he retreated to Hestan where his manor house was completed by 1342.

Earl of Nithsdale
Records show that by the 1600s, Hestan was under the ownership of the Earl of Nithsdale.