It was an understandable move ; for he came Arriving ashore in his own earldom of Carrick , where he could expect to command Control a large degree of local support Supporting .

The English border was not far distant ; all of the local castles were strongly held Defending by Edward 's forces Causation ; and , perhaps most important of all , the Lordship of Galloway , the old Balliol patrimony , was adjacent to Carrick , and many of the local families were hostile to King Robert the Bruce and his cause .