Edrington House,

The details of ownership given below relate almost exclusively to crown vassals, i.e. those holding title directly from the king, & exclude both numerous instances of part or all of the lands being mortgaged & also illegal apprisals of lands during the English occupation of the 1650s to pay alleged debts. I have, however, included documents that mention lands being granted in part, as security of spouses' liferent annuities.

The situation for Edrington is complicated by the fact that the teinds (tithes) of Edrington must originally have belonged to Coldingham Priory, and passed to the earls of Home from the commendators of the priory after the reformation of 1560, as part of the lordship & barony of Coldingham. The teinds of Edrington are mentioned repeatedly in subsequent documents of the earls of Home, into the 19th century, although it is clear that they cannot then have possessed them, the documents merely repeating the wording of earlier charters. I have not included any of these documents here. I have, however, included 3 sasines relating to the lands of Edrington Castle, in section 3, to indicate the extent of that farm's property.

The fact that Coldingham Priory, though in Scotland, was originally granted to Durham cathedral gave the kings of England the opportunity to interfere in its affairs during the middle ages. There are doubtless numerous early English documents that purport to grant lands in Berwickshire to Englishmen, but these, naturally, don't emerge from the Scottish sources.

Most of the transfers of ownership of the properties seem to have been to pay off debts. The repertory of Foulden writs from the Scottish Record Office fills in a lot of the detail that is missing from the minutes given in section 5. In particular it makes clear that Agnes Wilkie, only child of Sir John Wilkie, was unwilling to enter heir to her father, for the very good reason that she would have inherited his debts if she had.

In the minutes, the first date is the date of recording in the register, the actual date of the event usually being at the end of the minute. The number in round brackets is the number of the charter, sasine or retour in the volume. The numbers after any of the above abbreviations in the square brackets are the volume & folio number of the document. E.g. the minute headed

was recorded on 13 September 1636 as charter number 589 in volume 55, folio 245, of the Register of the Great Seal. Names of those acquiring title are in bold script.

There is almost nothing on record about Edrington House. The following description is given by Strang (1994, p.20):

18th century, recast 19th century, L-plan 2-storey with basement, pedimented doorway, plain gables & skews, Victorian south bay battlemented.

This is simply the information held by the Buildings Survey section of the Royal Commission on the Ancient & Historical Monuments of Scotland. The book on Berwickshire in the Scottish series that complements Pevsner's series The Buildings of England is still in preparation. According to a member of staff at the RCAHMS, the content of that book will be based largely on the information held in the Buildings Survey, so there is not likely to be any new information about Edrington House in it. He did add, however, that they would not have any record unless the house incorporated a date-stone.

The earliest reference to Edrington in the Registrum Magni Sigilli (Register of the Great Seal, RMS) is a confirmation of the multures (i.e. the miller's share of the income) of the mills of Edrington to Adam of Paxton & his wife by Robert Bruce in the 16th year of his reign, 1321. A charter of Robert II in 1376 makes reference to the fishings of Eddermouth, in particular, to Coalsteill.

By 1425, the lands of Edrington had been granted to Sir Robert Lauder of the Bass [i.e. the Bass Rock at North Berwick], lord justice or justiciary of Scotland south of the Forth. He received a confirmation of the lands in December 1425 from James I. The lands remained in the possession of the Lauders of Bass through the rest of the 15th & 16th centuries.

On 21 March 1597/8, James VI granted the lands, mills & fishings to George Lauder, son of Mr George Lauder of the Bass, the latter retaining the life-rent of the lands. The younger George subsequently resigned the lands, & in 1632 Charles I granted a charter of confirmation of the lands to James Levingstoun of Beill, a gentleman of the king's bedchamber. The lands were thereby incorporated into the barony of Beill, which Levingstoun resigned by 1641 and which was next granted to John Hamiltoun of Skirling, and shortly thereafter, on his resignation, to Sir Patrick Hepburne of Wauchtoun.

In 1649, John Hepburne of Wauchtoun is recorded as having been served heir to his father, Sir Patrick, in, inter alia, the lands of Edrington. However, before this service was recorded, John had already resigned the lands, which were granted in 1648 to James Scott, a merchant burgess of Edinburgh.

There is then a loss of continuity in the record, probably as a consequence of the English invasion of the 1650s, as in 1662 Charles II grants the lands to James [Douglas], Master of Mordington [eldest son of William, 2nd lord Mordington]. According to the royal charter of 1662, Edrington formerly belonged to Mr James Winraham of Newtoun-Leyes & Patrick Scot of Langshaw, & were resigned by them on 16 June 1661. Patrick Scot was sheriff of Edinburgh, while Winraham was a member of the family that possessed the lands of Liberton, now in Edinburgh. As Scot was admitted burgess of Edinburgh in 1655 by right of his wife, it is extremely unlikely that he was James Scott's son, & no evidence has been found as to how they acquired the lands.

The Master of Mordington (who was born in 1651) acquired not merely Edrington by this charter but also the lands of Nether Mordington. (His father possessed the lands of Over Mordington.) The lands of Nether Mordington had previously belonged to Mr Thomas Ramsay, minister of Foulden, a member of the family of Ramsay of Edington [in Foulden parish, distinct from Edrington]. Ramsay, who died in 1650, had built the manor of Nether Mordington and its mill, having acquired the lands after they had been dissolved from the lordship of Dalkeith, held by the earls of Morton.

In 1685, the lands of Nether Mordington [& presumably also Edrington, though only the former is noted in the index to the RMS] are granted to Lieutenant Joseph Douglas and his son, also Joseph. There does not appear to be any mention of a John Douglas D.D. at this time, though it is certainly possible that there is some family connexion between the Joseph Douglases & the Master of Mordington. This could become clear from the text of the 1685 charter. The lands passed from the younger Joseph to his nephew, Joseph Douglas Watson, who sold them, circa 1776, to William Marshall of Ingram in Northumberland.

Marshall transferred ownership to his son, Joseph, in 1784. The latter, in debt, had to rid himself of the property in 1830, & the trustee for his creditors sold the lands to Anthony Dickson, formerly of the Bengal Medical Board, in 1834. The abridgement of the sasine of 1834 is the first to make explicit mention of Edrington House, & seems to imply that Edrington House is the manor house of Nether Mordington & that Edrington & Nether Mordington are now interchangeable names. If this is correct, the 18th century house is the successor to Mr Thomas Ramsay's manor of circa 1630. But it is far from clear that this is really a correct interpretation, & probably unlikely that Edrington House stands on the site of Ramsay's house. The sasine of 1834 also gives the extent of the land as 256 acres (called 8 husband lands in later sasines).

It seems that Dickson resigned the lands, perhaps in favour of the next grantee. They were granted to Dickson Milliken in 1856, quite possibly a relative of Dickson's. In 1864, they passed in rapid succession to her son, Lieut. Thomas Eales Soady, to a Glasgow accountant & to George Chirnside. Some 40 years after Chirnside's death, his trustees sold the property to Edrington & Co. of North Shields in 1935, & that company sold it to Munro Sutherland in 1939.

The earliest reference to the barony of Foulden in the Register of the Great Seal is a confirmation of the barony to Sir Alexander Ramsay of Dalhousie in 1456. The barony remained in the hands of the Ramsays of Dalhousie until the late 16th century. In 1606, James VI granted the lands, town & barony of Foulden to George [Home] earl of Dunbar, "who, from earliest youth, had dedicated his life to the king's service", specifically, ensuring that James became King of England. On his death, his property would have been divided equally between his 2 daughters, Anna & Elizabeth. But, by an arrangement, Anna obtained his lands in Scotland & Elizabeth his English lands, Elizabeth's half share in Scotland being resigned in favour of Anna.

Anna sold the barony in 1614 to Sir John Arnot of Berswick [note the 's'], who was provost of Edinburgh. He went bankrupt and, although there are charters granting the barony to his son, William Arnot of Cockburnspath, in 1615, & to his son, James, in 1620, the property had to be disposed of to John Wilkin or Wilkie, a merchant burgess of Lanark, who was granted the property under the Great Seal in 1634. Wilkie's wife was a Rachel Arnot, who may well have been a close relative of the above Arnots, and this probably accounts for Wilkie's having obtained the property.

Foulden remained in the possession of the Wilkies, though only just, until 1919. The first John Wilkie's grandson, also John, was knighted. He & his spouse Dame Rachel Carmichael only had a daughter, Agnes, with the result that a very complex tailzie or entailment was arranged to determine who would inherit the property. Sir John died in debt, and Agnes refused (while still a minor, with the agreement of her husband, the Master of Ross, but later, on her majority, independently of her husband, to prevent his acquiring an interest) to be served heir to her father, preferring to resign Foulden in favour of the earl of Dundonald in 1680. (See Foulden repertory items 123 & 130). Precisely what happened thereafter is not clear from the minutes, but Dundonald disponed all his rights in Foulden to Agnes's husband, who received a crown charter in August 1680. Later he, as William lord Ross, & his son George, Master of Ross disponed Foulden to James Wilkie in 1716. This James was a son of John Wilkie of Broomhouse.

James Bruce Wilkie acquired title to Foulden in 1889. His paternal grandmother was a daughter of Sir Robert Dalyell of the Binns, 4th baronet, & through this connexion, he acquired the Binns, being required to change his name to Dalyell to do so. He disponed Foulden to the Scottish Temperance Life Assurance Co. Ltd. of Glasgow in 1919, and they immediately transferred ownership to the Board of Agriculture for Scotland, subject to the life assurance company receiving payment of £3360/17s/10d annually for 30 years from the Board, which acquired the property for allotments.

(a) Sixth Report & Inventory of Monuments & Constructions in the Count of Berwick [RCAHMS Berwickshire] (HMSO, Edinburgh, 1915)

This castle is situated about 3½ miles west of Berwick, on a rocky bank above the Whitadder. A mere fragment remains, adjoining, & incorporated in, the farm buildings. Cut in the solid rock at the base of the cliff on which the castle stood is a well 20 to 30 feet deep.

(b) David MacGibbon & Thomas Ross, The Castellated & Domestic Architecture of Scotland from the 12th to the 18th Century, Vol. IV, p.391 (James Thin, Edinburgh, 1892)

A mere fragment of an ancient castle on the rocky bank of the Whitadder, 5 miles N.W. of Berwick. A place of some importance in the Border wars, it continued, till the close of the 18th century, four stories in height.

The patron of the church is James Wilkie of Foulden, Esq. The antiquities include an old ruin, called Foulden; & a property called Nunlands, an establishment of nuns in former times, but there is no record or tradition thereof.

The original extent of the parish was very small, consisting of only the barony of Mordington, & the estate of Edrington, till 1650, when the lands of Lammerton were disjoined from Ayton & annexed to Mordington. The whole lands, except what are in the possession of the proprietors, are farmed by 3 tenants, one not resident. There are 2 heritors, both resident. The real rent of the parish is ca. £2000 sterling, the valued rent is £2045/18/6 Scots. The monthly cess is £32/14/8 Scots. The patron is Alexander Renton Esq. of Lammerton. Edington [sic] Castle, ruins, demands our notice, situated on the banks of the Whittadder, inaccessible from the west. There have been no convictions of inhabitants for crime in memory of man.

4/5 is the property of John Wilkie Esq. of Foulden. The rest belongs to George Baillie Esq. of Jerviswoode & to Miss Wood of Nunlands (which is far above £50 in yearly value). The parish church was built in 1786. On 24 March 1587, a conference was held in Foulden Church between commissioners sent by Elizabeth of England to Scotland, & others appointed by James VI. [There is also a reference to Foulden House.]

In the strata of shale & indurated marl below Edrington House, a few vegetable fossils have been found. Brown & silver pheasants are occasionally found in the woods of Edrington. The old castle of Edrington was the scene of frequent contests in the border wars. In 1534, it was restored by Henry VIII to James V, from whom it had been taken in a former war. The church was built in 1757, when it was removed from its former situation on the south of Mordington House.

(e) A. Thomson, Coldingham Parish & Priory (Craighead Bros., Galashiels, 1908)

p. 15 Reference to the bankruptcy of Sir John Arnot of Berswick, provost of Edinburgh.

Coldingham Priory was (re?)founded by Duncan II in 1098, but Laurie (Early Scottish Charters, p. 251) claims there was no priory till 1147.

p. 37 Foulden (Fugeldean) was from the earliest times possessed by the monks of Coldingham Priory. On 21.7.1299, Edward I granted to Andrew le Criur lands in "Fuledene, which belonged to Richard of Goldingham".

p. 75, 76 The priory was Benedictine, dedicated to St Mary, & originally granted to the church of Durham.

p. 80 The Homes were in effect the hereditary bailiffs of the priory [in the 15th century].

p. 107 Reference to charters of King Edgar (1095), of doubtful validity, by which were granted the profits of the mansions of, inter alia, Fulden & Hadrington "for the souls" of his House [i.e. the priory].

In a rental of the lordship of Dryburgh (ca. 1620), reference is made to the Nunland in Foulden parish. (Cf. Liber de Dryburgh, pp. 313-68).

On 24.3.1587, an important conference was held in Foulden Kirk between the commissioners of James VI, viz., Sir James Home of Coldenknows & Sir Robert Melville & Sir James Carey, the representative of Elizabeth.

p. 222 The lands of Alemill [in Coldingham parish] appear to have formed part of the barony of Foulden. They were sold by James Wilkie of Foulden to Peter Weir in 1809 & have since been possessed along with Bogangreen.

6-10 do, from 1818, including register of tacks [i.e. rentals] on Foulden estate from 1800 & account books from 1838.

54-7 Foulden estate: trust & estate accounts, legal papers & correspondence, including some rentals, 19th century.

(g) Charles A. Strang, Borders & Berwick: an Illustrated Guide to the Scottish Borders & Tweed Valley (Edinburgh, Rutland Press, 1994, ISBN 1-873190-10-7)

Edrington House: 18th century, recast 19th century, L-plan 2-storey with basement, pedimented doorway, plain gables & skews, Victorian south bay battlemented.

Mordington House: Demolished 1973 [illustrated]. [It had previously stood empty, riddled with dry rot, according to RCAHMS records.]

Mordington Burial Vault: Dated 1662, with its rustic relief panel of the crucifixion, stood originally against the east gable of the 1757 kirk, which went out of use in 1869.

Foulden Teind (Tithe) Barn: (Property of Historic Scotland. Open to the public on application.) The barn stored produce collected by the church, i.e. the teinds. One of only 2 surviving in Scotland; the other is at Whitekirk, East Lothian.

Foulden Graveyard: Mainly 18th/19th century stones, the exception being that of George Ramsay of Dalhoussie, d. 1592:

Hier lyeth ane honorabil man Georg Ramsay in Fulden Bastel who departit 4 Jan 1592 & of his age 74.

(h) Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae (detailing the ministers of the Church of Scotland)

Thomas Ramsay of Nether Mordington, minister of Foulden, of the family of Ramsay of Edington, died Sept. 1650. Married Helen Kellie, & had issue Thomas, who was minister of Mordington from 1648 to 1682.

(i) The Topographical, Statistical & Historical Gazetteer of Scotland (A. Fullarton & Co., Glasgow, 1844)

Population of parish in 1801: 393; in 1831, 424. 78 houses. Assessed property in 1815: £4907. Patron: Wilkie of Foulden. Unappropriated teinds (equal to the minister’s stipend) £152/18/1.

Claims the name derives from O.E. fulden, 'dirty hollow' [in contrast to Thomson's book on Coldingham which gives the form 'fugeldean', suggesting 'bird hollow'.] The village of Foulden was formerly of considerable size & a burgh of barony, but has gone utterly to decay. Of 2 annual fairs, one is defunct, the other in the last stage of consumption.

Population in 1801: 330; in 1831: 301. 55 houses. Assessed property in 1815: £3203. Patron: Renton of Lamberton.

The barony of Mordington, with the patronage of the church, belonged at the epoch of record to Agnes de Morthington & her husband, Henry Halyburton. It was given by Robert I to Thomas Randolph, earl of Moray. It passed at the death of John, 3rd earl on the disastrous field of Durham to his sister, Black Agnes, countess of Dunbar. It seems to have been given as a dowry to her daughter Agnes when she married James Douglas of Dalkeith, & it continued with this Douglas's descendants till the reformation, & eventually gave them the title of Baron [Mordington] in the Scottish peerage, which became extinct in 1796.

A ruined fortalice. The modern Edrington Castle is in the immediate vicinity of the ruins. Edrington House stands on the east bank of a small tributary of the Whitadder.

Foulden House, to the east of the village, is the seat of John Wilkie (born 1806), who holds 2550 acres in Berwickshire, valued at £5245 per annum. Another mansion is Newlands [sic] House, ( mile north of the village.

The lands were held by the descendants of James Douglas of Dalkeith, the earls of Morton, till 1581, when they reverted to the crown. In 1634, the lands & barony of Over Mordington were conferred on another James Douglas, the 2nd son of the 10th earl of Angus. In 1641, he was created Baron Mordington. The title became dormant in 1791. Mordington House was Cromwell's HQ when he first crossed the Tweed in July 1650, & is now the seat of Major Charles Frederick Campbell Renton of Lamberton.

Notarial instrument, Trustees of the late James Jeffreys Oswald of Edrington, of the lands of Edrington, with the fishings, etc, thereof, which lands consist of the farm & lands called Edrington Castle measuring 155 acres, & of the mils & mill lands of Edrington measuring 11 acres, with teinds, in parish of Mordington, on extract general trust disposition & settlement dated 17.7.1863, & with codicil, registered in the Books of Council & Session 1.11.1872 by said James Jeffreys Oswald, therein designed of Edrington Castle, & Mary Laidler or Oswald, his spouse, & other writs, 7.7.1873.

Disposition by Trustees under trust disposition & settlement by James Jeffreys Oswald of Edrington & Mary Laidler or Oswald, now his widow, residing at 17 Thompson's Terrace, High Green, Berwick-on-Tweed, to William Gray & Edward Gray, both residing at Kerbriac, St Briac, France, of the lands of Edrington consisting of the farm & lands called Edrington Castle measuring 155 acres & of the mills & mill lands of Edrington measuring 11 acres in the parish of Mordington, with teinds, 12.5.1892.

Disposition by William Gray, sometime residing at Kerbriac, St Briac, France, now in Musselburgh, to Edward Gray residing at Edrington Castle, of ½ pro indiviso of the lands of Edrington, consisting of the farm & lands called Edrington Castle measuring 155 acres & of the mills & mill lands of Edrington measuring 11 acres in the parish of Mordington, with teinds, 27.10.1897.

Robert, etc. Know ye that we have confirmed Adam of Paxtoun & Mariota, daughter of Patrick Michael's son, his spouse, in the whole multures of Paxtoun belonging to the mills of Edringtoun.

[From a copy of the above charter quoted in full in Regesta Regum Scotorum, Vol. 5, p. 456 (ed. A.A.M. Duncan, Edinburgh University Press, 1988), the date was 28 May, the place Arbroath.]

At Glenschee. Robert [II], King of Scots, to all men, etc. Know ye that we have given to our cousin John of Roos, & to John Lyoune, all & whole the lands & income with pertinents which belonged to the late Adam of Paxton & also to Richard Broune, in the shire of Berwick, viz., inter alia, the mills of Edryngton, our annual income from Edryngton, & the fishings of Newater, Hundwater, Cole & Abstele, etc.

At Stirling. The King [James I] confirmed Robert of Lawedre of Edringtoun, knight, justiciar of Scotland in, inter alia, the lands of Edringtoun, in the shire of Berwick, which the said Robert had resigned.

At [...]. The King [James III] granted to Robert Laudare, son & heir apparent of Robert L. of Edrintoune, the lands of Edrintoune & Colestell, with the fisheries of Edermont, & the mills thereof, in the shire of Berwick, which the said Robert, the father, had personally resigned & which (formerly held of the king in ward for annual payment of £12) the king granted to him in blench ferm, together with the said annual payment, for the singular favour which he had done him & for his faithful service. To be held of the king by the said Robert, the son, & his heirs male having the name & bearing the arms of Lauder. Rendering one silver penny in name of blench ferm.

At Halyruidhous. The King [James VI] granted to Mr George Lauder of Bas, in liferent, & George Lauder, his son & heir apparent, & the lawful heirs male of his body, whom failing the said Mr George & his heirs male, bearing the arms & name of Lauder, & their assignees whomsoever, hereditarily, inter alia, the lands of Edgrenetoun, with the fishings of Eddirmouth & Coillistaill, with the mills, etc., in the shire of Berwick.

At Whythall. The King [Charles I] confirmed & of new gave to his servant James Levingstoun of Beill, one of the gentlemen of his bedchamber, his heirs & assignees whomsoever, irredeemably, inter alia, the lands of Edringtoun, with the mill, fishings, mill lands, etc., in the shire of Berwick, which the said James, & George Lauder of Bas with the consent of Issobella Hepburne lady Bas, his mother, had resigned at Halyruidhous, & which the king of new incorporated into the free barony of Beill.

At Hamptoun-court. The King confirmed James Levingstoun of Beill, one of the gentlemen of his bedchamber, his heirs & assignees whomsoever, irredeemably, in inter alia the lands of Edringtoun with the mill, fishings, etc., which the said James had resigned, 27.10.1635. The king, by virtue of an act of the parliament held on 28.6.1633, in ratification of a charter granted to the said James Levingstoun of the above lands upon resignation by the said James & George Lauder of Bas & Issobella Hepburne lady Bas, his mother, dated 31.1.1632, dissolved all the above lands from the crown & gave them of new to the said James, & of new incorporated them into the free barony of Beill.

At Edinburgh. The King granted to Mr Thomas Ramsay, minister at the kirk of Foulden, & to Helen Kellie his spouse, the town & lands of Nethar Mordingtoun, with the manor & mill sometime built upon them by the said Thomas, in the shire of Berwick, which lands, with the right of regality thereof, William earl of Mortoun, lord Dalkeith & Abirdour (from whom the said Thomas held them) & Robert lord Dalkeith, his eldest son, had resigned, & which the king had dissolved from the lordship & regality of Dalkeith. To be held, with right of regality, by the said Thomas & Helen in conjunct fee, & their heirs, irredeemably. Rendering one penny in name of blench ferm.

At Halirudhous. The King granted & of new gave to his servant John Hamilton of Skirling, prefect of his horses, his heirs & assignees whomsoever, irredeemably, inter alia, the lands of Ed[r]ingtoun, with the mills, fishings, etc., in the shire of Berwick, which lands James Levingstoun of Beill, one of the gentlemen of the king's bedchamber & guardian of the king's privy purse, with the consent of Anna Nasmyth his spouse, had resigned, & which the king of new incorporated into the free barony of Beill.

At Edinburgh. The King granted & of new gave to Sir Patrick Hepburne of Wauchtoun, knight, his heirs male & assignees whomsoever, irredeemably, inter alia, the lands of Edringtoun, with the fishings of Eddermouth & Colsteill, with the manor place, mills, etc., in the shire of Berwick, which George Lauder of Bas, James Levingstoun sometime of Beill, gentleman of the king's bedchamber, & John Hamiltoun of Skirling now of Beill had resigned. And the king dissolved all these from the barony of Beill & incorporated them into the free barony of Bas.

John Hepburne of Wauchtoune, heir male of Sir Patrick Hepburne of W., knight, his father, in the lands & barony of Wauchtoune, etc; the lands of Edringtoune with the fishings of Edermouth & Colsteill & mills. Old extent 100 merks, new extent 500 merks.

The King granted & of new gave to James Scott, merchant burgess of Edinburgh, his heirs & assignees whomsoever, the lands of Edringtoun, with the fishings of Edermouth & Coalsteill, the manor place, mills, etc., in the shire of Beruick, which lands John Hepburne of Wauchtoun had resigned. Rendering one pair of gilt spurs & one penny in name of blench ferm.

Charter, granting to James [Douglas], Master of Mordingtoun, eldest lawful of William, Lord of Mordingtoun, & his heirs male, etc., the town & lands of Nether Mordingtoun, with manor place & mill, built by the dec. Mr Thomas Ramsay, once minister of Foulden, lying in the sheriffdom of Berwick, extending to 8 husbandlands, with right of superiority of the said town & lands, & privileges thereof, which town & lands were dissolved from the lordship of Dalkeith by charter of 13.9.1636; also the lands of Edringtoun, with the fishings of Edrinmouth & Coalsteill, with manor place, etc.; which town & lands of Nether Mordingtoun, etc., belonged formerly to the said Mr Thomas, & were granted by him to the said Master of Mordingtoun, 1.7.1658, for new infeftment; & which lands of Edringtoun, etc., formerly belonged to Mr James Winraham of Newtoun-Leyes & Patrick Scot of Langshaw, & were resigned by them, 16.6.1661, for new infeftment at Edinburgh, 11.7 last, in favour of the said James, Master of Mordingtoun. To be held of the king, in blench-firm, rendering therefor one penny in name of blench-firm at Whitsuntide if asked.

Lieut. Joseph Douglas of Edrington & Joseph, son of Lieut. Joseph Douglas of E. Lands of Nether Mordington.

Joseph Douglas Watson of Edrington, to his uncle Joseph Douglas of E., who died 12.11.1767, heir special in Nether Mordington & Edrington with manor places, & with the fishings of Eddermouth & Coalsteill, Berwickshire, 1.4.1773.

Joseph Douglas Watson of E. & Wm. Marshall of Ingram, Co. Northumberland, purchaser, get Renunciation 4.7.1776 by George Home of Branxton, Factor for Douglas, Heron & Co., late bankers, Ayr, of Nether Mordington & Miln; Edrington, with the fishings of Edermouth & Coalshiel, & teinds; & of £3300 in bond by Jos. D. of E. to Margaret, duchess dowager of Douglas, 22.5.1766, etc.

Joseph Marshall of E., seised 5.11.1792 in Nether Mordington & Mill called Lambsmill; Edrington, with the fishings thereof, & teinds, parish of Mordington. On disposition by Wm. Marshall of E., his father, 5.7.1784.

Eleonora Grieve, spouse of Jos. Marshall of E., seised 9.12.1799 in Nether Mordington, etc., in security of a liferent annuity of £100, on bond by the said Jos. M., 25.9.1799.

The Trustees for the creditors of Joseph Marshall of E., seised 9.12.1830 in the town & lands of Nether Mordington, etc.; & lands of Edrington with the manor place, fishings & mill & mill lands thereof, & teinds, par. of Mordington, on disposition by said Jos. M., 22.11.1830.

Anthony Dickson, formerly of the Bengal Medical Board, seised 16.8.1834 in the town & lands of Nether Mordington, with the manor place & mill thereof, comprising the manor place now called Edrington House, with the policy, garden & offices adjoining the same, the lands now called Edrington Mains, the mill called Lambs Mill with the mill lands thereof, & houses at Starch House, extending in whole to 256 acres, & teinds, par. of Mordington - under burden of £5000 & £1000 - on disposition by the Trustee of Joseph Marshall, late of Edrington, with his consent, 31.7.1834 & 1.8.1834.

Dickson Milliken, spouse of Major Thomas Eales Soady, seised in the town & lands of Nether Mordington with the manor place & mill extending to 8 husband lands, & superiority thereof, which lands are commonly known by the name of Edrington, on charter of resignation & confirmation under the Great Seal, 21.4.1856.

Thomas Eales Soady, lieutenant, 66th Foot, as heir of provision to Dickson Milliken, spouse of Major Thomas Eales Soady, East India Co. Service, his mother, registers decreet of special service 13.10.1864 of the town & lands of Nether Mordington, etc.

Henry Leck, accountant, Glasgow, registers disposition to himself by Thomas Eales Soady, lieut., 66th Foot, with consent of Ronald Lefevre Dickson Prole of No. 1 Kensington Park, Co. Middx, & Charlotte Augusta Dickson Prole, daughter of Wm. Watson Prole, as her administrator in law, 7.5.1864 & 8.8.1864, of the town & lands of Nether Mordington, extending to 8 husband lands & superiority thereof.

George Chirnside, residing at Newton House, Co. Northumberland, registers disposition to himself by Henry Leck, accountant, Glasgow, 11.11.1864, of the town & lands of Nether Mordington with the manor place & mill extending to 8 husband lands, & superiority thereof, which lands are commonly known by the name of Edrington.

Notarial instrument, Trustees of dec. Geo. Chirnside of E., sometime residing at Newton House, Co. Northumberland, of the town & lands of Nether Mordington with the manor place & mill extending to 8 husband lands, & superiority thereof, which lands are commonly known by the name of Edrington, on extract general trust disposition & settlement, 16.5.1883, & with codicils, registered in Books of Council & Session 13.4.1898 by him; extract deed of assumption, 30.4.1898 & 2.5.1898 &, with minute of acceptance thereon, registered in Books of Council & Session 2.5.1898; etc.

Disposition by Trustees of Geo. Chirnside of E. to Edrington & Co. Ltd., of the town & lands of Nether Mordington with the manor place & mill extending to 8 husband lands, & superiority thereof, which lands are commonly known by the name of Edrington, 8.6.1935.

Disposition by Edrington & Co. Ltd., 1 Northumberland Place, North Shields, to Munro Sutherland, Edrington House, par. of Mordington, of the town & lands of Nether Mordington with the manor place & mill extending to 8 husband lands, & superiority thereof, which lands are commonly known by the name of Edrington, 1.4.1939 & 4.4.1939.

Joseph Douglas of Edrington (son of Captain Joseph Douglas of E.), born 1678, admitted to the Faculty 1.2.1705, died 12.11.1766 [sic].

10.1.1655 Patrick Scot of Langshaw, admitted burgess & guildbrother, by right of his late wife Agnes, daughter to the late Andro Purves, merchant burgess & guildbrother.

At Stirling. The King [James II] confirmed Alexander Ramsay of Dalwolsy, knight, in the baronies of Dalwolsy [Dalhousie] & Kerintoun [Carrington], in the shire of Edinburgh; & the barony of Fulden, in the shire of Berwick, which the said Alexander had personally resigned.

At [...]. The King [James III] confirmed a charter of King James II [which granted to Alexander Ramsay of Dalwolsy, knight, the baronies of Dalwolsy & Kerintoun, in the shire of Edinburgh; & the barony of Foulden, in the shire of Berwick.]

At Edinburgh. The King confirmed a charter of King James II [which confirmed Alexander Ramsay of Dalwolsy, knight, in the baronies of Dalwolsy, etc., as in charter 602 above].

At Edinburgh. The King [James V] granted to George Ramsay, son & heir apparent of Nicol Ramsay of Dalhoussy, & his heirs of tailzie, inter alia, the lands & barony of Fouldene, with the tower, fortalice, mill, etc., & right of patronage of the kirk of Foulden, in the shire of Berwick, which the said Nicol had personally resigned.

John Ramsay, heir of George Ramsay of Dalhousie, his father, in the lands & barony of Foulden, with the patronage of the kirk of Foulden. Old extent £16/13/4, new extent £66/13/4.

At Leith. The King [James VI] confirmed & of new gave to John Ramsay of Dalhoussy & his heirs male, etc., inter alia, the lands & barony of Fouldane, with the fortalice, mills, etc., right of patronage of the kirk of F., etc., which the said John had resigned. Rendering a white rose at the castle & manor place of Dalhoussy in name of blench ferm. And the king incorporated all the said lands into the free barony of Dalhoussy, giving to the said John & his heirs the honour & status of free baron.

At the royal palace of Quhitehall in England & at Perth in Scotland. The King confirmed George earl of Dumbar, lord Home of Beruik, lord treasurer of Scotland, etc., & his heirs & assignees, in inter alia, the lands, town & barony of Fouldene, with the fortalice, manor place, mills, mill lands, etc., patronage of the rectory & vicarage of the parish kirk of Foulden, all incorporated into the free earldom & parliamentary lordship & free barony of Dumbar, so that one sasine at the old manor of Fouldene may do duty for all. Rendering to the king for Fouldene one white rose at the castle of Foulden.

At Edinburgh. The King granted to & quitclaimed Lady Anna Home, elder of the two lawful daughters & heirs of the late George earl of Dumbar, & Sir James Home of Quhytrig, knight, her spouse, in conjunct fee, & the heirs of the said Anna, irredeemably, half of the earldom, lordship & barony of Dumbar, viz., inter alia, half the lands, town & barony of Foulden, with the fortalice, manor place, mills, mill lands, etc., with right of patronage of the rectory & vicarage of the parish of Foulden, which Lady Elizabeth Home, younger daughter of the said earl, with consent of Theophilus lord Howart of Waldin, her husband, & Thomas earl of Suffolk, his father, had resigned.

At Edinburgh. The King confirmed, inter alia, a charter by Lady Anna Home, elder of the two lawful daughters & nearest heirs of the late George earl of Dunbar, lord Home of Beruick, with consent of Sir James Home of Quhytrig, knight, her husband, & of Sir John Home of Coldenknowis, father of the said James, which - in fulfilment of an obligation of 16.12.1613 - sold to Sir John Arnote [of Bersuick], provost of the burgh of Edinburgh, his heirs & assignees whomsoever, irredeemably, her lands, town & barony of Foulden, with the fortalice, manor place, mills, etc. Rendering to the king one white rose at the castle of Fowlden in name of blench ferm.

At Edinburgh. The King confirmed a charter of Sir John Arnot of Bersuek, knight, provost of the burgh of Edinburgh [which granted to William Arnott of Colbrandispeth his son, his heirs & assignees whomsoever, irredeemably, the lands, town & barony of Fowlden, etc., as in charter 1014 above. Reserving the liferent to the said Sir John. Dated at Edinburgh, 23.2.1615].

At Edinburgh. The King confirmed a charter of James Arnot of Foulden [which - for fulfilment of three obligatory letters by William Arnot of Colbrandspeth his father - sold to Walter Henrysoun of Eister Grantoun, his heirs & assignees contained in the said letters, an annual payment of 1600 merks out of the lands & barony of Foulden, with the fortalice, etc. To be holden of the said James, or of his superior. Rendering one penny blench ferm. Dated at Edinburgh, 15.9.1619].

[The above concerns a debt of 16000 merks, so that Henrysoun's title as vassal of James Arnot was presumably limited, in a way not made clear in the minute, to 10 years.]

At Edinburgh. The King granted & of new gave to James Arnote, second lawful son of William Arnote of Cokburnespeth, his heirs & assignees whomsoever, irredeemably, inter alia, the lands, town & barony of Foulden, etc., which the said William had resigned. Rendering for Foulden one white rose in name of blench ferm.

At Halyruidhous. The King [Charles I] granted to John Wilkin, burgess of Lanerk, his heirs & assignees whomsoever, the lands, town & barony of Fouldene, with the tower, manor place, mills, mains, etc., & the patronage of the rectory & vicarage of the church & parish of Fouldene, in the shire of Berwick, which James Arnot, son of William Arnot of Colbrandspeth, John Arnot his brother german, eldest son of the said William, the late Mr William Kellie, W.S., John Seytoun of Sanct-Germanis, Margaret Craig spouse of the said John Arnot, & Agnes Jacksoun spouse of the said William Arnot, with consent of John Arnot of Woodmylne & the said James Arnot yr, merchant burgess of Edinburgh, had resigned on 12.2.1629. Rendering one white rose at the castle of Fouldene in name of blench ferm.

At Edinburgh. The King granted to John Wilkin, grandson of John Wilkin of Fouldene & son of John W., eldest son born to the said John W. of F. & the late Rachel Arnott his wife, the lands, town & barony of Fouldene, etc., which the said John W. of F. had resigned, 3.11.1636. Reserving to the said John W. of F. the whole liferent, & to Elspeth Craig his present wife, the part of the said lands as per the provisions of their marriage contract. To be held by the said John W., grandson, & the heirs male of his body, whom failing the said John W. of F. & the heirs male born to him & the said Elspeth, whom failing William W., merchant burgess of Edinburgh, brother to the said John W. of F., & the heirs male of his body, whom failing Marion & Elizabeth Wilkins, daughters of the said John W. of F., & Rachel Wilkin his granddaughter, equally, & the heirs of their bodies, whom failing the said John W. & his heirs & assignees whomsoever.

At Edinburgh. The King [Charles II] confirmed & of new gave to Sir John Wilkie fiar of Fouldene, knight, & the heirs whomsoever of his body, whom failing the heirs of tailzie & provision in an earlier charter [no. 627 above], & assignees whomsoever, the town, lands & barony of Fouldene, etc., of which lands John Wilkie elder of Fouldene, grandfather of the said Sir John, had resigned by virtue of the contract of marriage between the said Sir John & Dame Rachel Carmichaell, his spouse, of 17.1.1642, & a contract between the said John elder & Sir John of 3.4.1645, & which lands the said Sir John had resigned. Rendering as in charter 10 above.

At Edinburgh. The Protector grants to William Wilkie of Haghill & the heirs male lawfully gotten of his body, whom failing to Mr Johne Wilkie of Broomhous, his brother german, & the heirs male of his body, whom failing to Mr Zachorie Wilkie, their brother german, & the heirs male of his body, whom failing to Sir Johne Wilkie of Foulden, knight, his nearest heirs male of the name of Wilkie & their assignees, whom all failing to the said Sir Johne his heirs & assignees whomsoever, the town, lands & barony of Foulden, etc., which lands pertained to the said Sir Johne Wilkie, & were on 18.9.1655 resigned by him in favour of the said Mr William Wilkie, reserving to the said Sir Johne his liferent in the said lands, & also reserving to Dame Rachel Carmichaell, his spouse, her liferent of the portion of the said lands provided to her by contract of marriage between the said Sir Johne & her, etc. To be held blench of the protector. Giving therefor a white rose upon the feast day of St John Baptist if asked only.

John Wilkie of Fouldoun, to his father James Wilkie of F., who died Sept. 1732, heir special in the lands, kirklands, mills & patronage of Fouldoun, Berwickshire, 12.3.1733.

Captain James Wilkie of Foulden, to his father John W. of F., heir male of line & provision general, 29.11.1780.

James Wilkie of F., seised 28.3.1781 in the barony of Foulden (under exceptions), par. of Foulden, on charter of resignation & confirmation under the Great Seal, 20.12.1780.

Sarah Price, spouse of James Wilkie of F., seised 15.7.1782 in the barony of Foulden (under exceptions), in security of a restrictable liferent annuity of £300, on marriage contract of 26.4.1782.

The Trustees of James Wilkie of F., seised 28.9.1840 in the lands & barony of Foulden with the manor place thereof; the town of Foulden & Mains thereof, with the 2 mills of Foulden & mill lands; advocation, donation & right of patronage of the parsonage & vicarage kirk & parish of Foulden; etc., & teinds, on deed of nomination, assumption & disposition & assignation by the former Trustees, 13.3.1839 & 19.3.1839.

Henrietta Eleanor Bruce, spouse of John Wilkie of F., registers marriage contract between them containing bond by him to her for a liferent annuity of £1000 after his decease, 26.4.1865, furth of the lands & barony of Foulden & others, with the mills & teinds, par. of Foulden, as particularly described in (1495) of 17.10.1840 (under exceptions).

Notarial instrument, Trustees under trust disposition of James Wilkie of Foulden, now deceased, dated 22.2.1816, & registered in the Books of Council & Session 26.11.1817, of the lands & barony of Foulden & others, being the lands & others particularly described in sasine of the then trustees under said trust disposition recorded in GRS 17.10.1840 [wherein are described inter alia the lands & barony of Foulden, with the manor place thereof; the town of Foulden & mains, with the 2 mills of Foulden & mill lands; advocation, donation & right of patronage of the parsonage & vicarage kirk & parish of Foulden; parts of the kirklands parsonage & vicarage of the parish kirk of Foulden, viz. ¾ parts of the lands in Whitecornlees, ½ of the infield lands in the west part of the town of Foulden, ½ of the infield lands called Clartyburn, piece of land called Arnyside & ¼ part of the infield lands sometime pertaining to … Deans, with pasturage of the whole soums of cattle & horses, pertaining to the said kirklands on the commonty & within the bounds of the town & territority of Foulden (under exceptions), & lands of Old Foulden, comprehending 2 husband lands & a cotland; & a feu-duty of £1/13/4 Scots payable furth of the said parts of the kirklands parsonage & vicarage of the parish kirk of Foulden, extending to 3 husband lands, parish of Foulden] - on deed of nomination & assumption & disposition & assignation dated 21.7.1841 & 27.7.1841 by the then trustees under said trust disposition, to themselves & trustee thereby assumed; & deed of nomination & assumption & disposition & assignation 24.11.1865 by the then sole surviving trustee under said trust disposition to himself & trustees thereby assumed.

Extract act & decreet by the Lords of Council & Session, inter alia, granting warrant to Trustees under trust disposition & settlement of dec. James Wilkie of F. to complete a title in said Trustees' own person to, inter alia, the lands & barony of Foulden & others, with teinds, being the whole lands & others particularly described in sasine in favour of Trustees of said James Wilkie recorded 17.10.1840 (minute 1113, 5.2.1875) (under exceptions), dated 2.4.1886, extracted 29.4.1886.

Disposition by Trustees under trust disposition & settlement of the dec. James Wilkie of F. to James Bruce Wilkie, eldest child of the dec. John Wilkie, grandson of said James Wilkie, of the lands & barony of Foulden, the town of Foulden & Mains thereof, with teinds, with the 2 mills of Foulden, mill lands, & right of patronage, etc., under exceptions & under real burdens of the sums after mentioned:

£5000 & £2500 Trustees of late John Archibald Campbell, clerk to the signet, Edinburgh

Disposition by Sir James Dalyell, bart., of the Binns & Foulden (formerly named & designed James Bruce Wilkie, thereafter James Bruce Wilkie Dalyell of Foulden) to Scottish Temperance Life Assurance Co. Ltd., Glasgow of (I) lands & estate & barony of Foulden & others (under exception of [1] farm & lands of Greenfield, [2] farm & lands of St Johns & [3] farm & lands of Foulden Hill, etc.), (II) lands & estate of Nunlands, with parsonages & vicarages of parish kirk of Foulden, & teinds, parish of Foulden, as described in disposition to Wm. Miller, recorded in GRS 13.11.1863 (no. 447, 12.11.1872) (under exception of 1 acre 3 roods 29 poles in disposition to Thomas Purves recorded 21.5.1914), 3.5.1919.

Contract of ground annual between Scottish Temperance Life Assurance Co. Ltd., Glasgow, & the Board of Agriculture for Scotland, containing (I) disposition by said co. to said board of the lands & others in (222) above, under real burden of a ground annual of £3360/17s/10d for 30 years from Whitsunday 1919, & (II) disposition in security of said ground annual by said board to said co. of said lands & others, 30.4.1919, 2.5.1919 & 16.5.1919.

son of Eleanor Isabel Dalyell (& Lt.-Col. Gordon Dalyell of the Binns, born Gordon Loch)

dau. of Sir James Bruce Wilkie Dalyell of the Binns, 9th Bt. (1867 - 1935), born James Bruce Wilkie,

son of James Wilkie (d. 1814) (& Harriet, dau. of Sir Robert Dalyell of the Binns, 4th Bt.),

‘Only recently the coat-of-arms of John Soday dated 1849 could be seen on a side wall. After his ownership the house and its estate was owned and occupied by three generations of a family called Chirnside. It was then rented to a Colonel Morton. Later, Mr.Munro Sutherland bought the property and in 1936 added a new wing. It was then sold to Mr.Lindsay Edwards in 1943 who lived there until the Misses Robertson bought the estate in 1962 . The house, gardens and chauffeur's cottage were then sold by them to Mr.H.Grant, only to be repurchased two years later. The wing added in 1936 was then removed and the house was rented to its present occupier, Air Commodore Carill-Worsley.

It is of interest that the Wheatlands Burn drove a wheel at Edrington house to supply water for more than 100 years to the house and the farm steading. This supply was superceded in 1963 when the property was connected to the Berwickshire Watch Water Scheme. Close by Edrington House once stood a flour mill. The millstones were used by Mrs.Munro Sutherland in the construction of the garden rockery.’

The grant of 13^th September 1636 (Section 4) makes it clear that a manor house was built by Thomas Ramsay at Nether Mordington some time before 1636. The grant of 2^nd August 1662 to James Douglas makes it clear that there were two houses, one at Edrington and one at Nether Mordington. The disposition of 25^th August 1834 and subsequent dispositions make it clear that the current Edrington House was, in fact, the manor of Nether Mordington, referring to ‘the town and lands of Nether Mordington, with the manor place and mill thereof, comprising the manor now called Edrington House’. The manor at Edrington proper would therefore appear to refer to Edrington castle or some other building there. It would appear to be clear, therefore, that the current Edrington House was built in the early decades of the 17^th century by Thomas Ramsay, say 1610 to 1620, though it would also appear to be likely that the house was substantially re-built or re-modelled in the 18^th century by the Douglas family of Mordington, as suggested by G. Lauder-Frost in section 8. This scenario would tend to be reinforced by the actual construction of the house, which is basically Georgian, but has certain features that would appear to be of an earlier date, namely the lower parts of the main walls, which are 5’ thick or thereabouts.

Note that there is a sundial in the wall of the outhouse/stables which has the inscription ‘Joseph Douglas of Edrington 1622’. I am unable to account for this, unless it refers to Edrington castle.

Edrington House was apparently given by the Robertson sisters (see section 7) to Enid Elphinston(e) and her husband, whose christian name I do not know. After the death of her husband, Enid sold the house to the present owners, Graham and Annabel Milne, on 29 May 1998.

James Logan Mack, writing in The Border Line (Edinburgh & London 1924) (p.294) quoting Carr's Coldingham Priory, states that Edrington took its name from its contiguity to the river Whitadder but says that Carr does not explain this. Mr. Mack goes on to say that the river was formerly the Adder and then mentions the Berwickshire reptile known as the adder being frequently referred to as an "ether". He suggests an ancient pronunciation of Edrington as "Etherington".

There is a reference in the year 1304 to "the King's lands of Edringtoune" and also to the King's mill there. (See Joseph Bain's Calendar, ii., No.1646,p.440). Mr. Mack says that "the village and fishing water of "Eddermouth" are mentioned in a charter of 1335 and J.J.Reid, F.S.A.,(Scot).

John J. Reid, BA., F.S.A.,(Scot) (writing in 1885) relates how the fishings of Eddermouth were possessed hereditarily in 1330 by Robert Lauder who was then Keeper of Berwick Castle. However, Mr.Logan Mack says they were also held or conjoined with William de Pressin, Lord Warden of Jedburgh Forest in 1335.

In 1376 Adam of Paxton forfeited Edrington Mill etc., due to his part in a rebellion at that time. I can see no record anywhere that Paxton held the lands or castle of Edrington.

I concur with what your researcher has said thereafter but with one important point which he has missed. In quoting the 1425 charter of The Great Seal he correctly mentions the reconfirmation of the lands of Edrington to Sir Robert Lawedre of Edringtoun. This was almost certainly because Robert had married. The normal procedure was that one resigned lands at such times for a re-grant which included heirs. That means that by 1425 Sir Robert was already in possession of Edrington. The castle was burnt by the Duke of Gloucester's army in July 1482 but subsequently restored.

The Lauders then held Edrington thereafter until 1632 when James Livingston of Beil received a confirmation of the entire barony at Whitehall on 31^st January 1632. This is the first mention of the Lauder resignation (at Holyroodhouse) of Edrington. However, your researcher failed to note the fine print in the footnote to this charter which had a legal reversion built into it. Presumably if the debts for which it was resigned were met the charter's properties would revert to their original owners.

This appears to have happened as on 18^th January, 1634, Richard Lauder, laird of Haltoun, had confirmed to him at Edinburgh a charter identical to that of James Livingston. However, again there was a clear mention of a legal reversion. Obviously there was some kind of financial battle going on at this time between the carpetbaggers/new rich and the old landed families.

James Livingstone apparently got the upper hand and paid his debts as on 28th October 1635, (confirmed at Hampton Court) everything again reverted to this ghastly lackey.

He sold it on 15^th September 1641 to John Hamilton of Skirling, another wheeler-dealer of the time who then sold it back to an extended member of the Lauder family, Sir Patrick Hepburn of Waughton, brother of the dowager Lady Bass, on 15^th October, 1641. His son the Rev. John Hepburn, an Episcopalian minister, received Edrington during his father's lifetime, on 5^th August 1646. (Balfour Paul says that could be 1647). Interestingly he was married to Lady Marie Ross. (Recalling the old Ross connection with Edrington).

I can find no evidence, as your researcher states, that John Hepburn resigned Edrington before selling it to James Scott, merchant burgess of Edinburgh, on 1^st March 1648. The great landed families were in some considerable debt in this century and this was possibly a sale to cover debts. Being an Episcopalian minister would not have been assisting John Hepburn at that time.

We now come to the Scotts. I see that there is mention by your researcher of Patrick Scot being made a burgess of Edinburgh but he mentions not the James Scott, above. According to The Great Seal (number 124 confirmed at Edinburgh 14^th June 1653) James Scott, merchant burgess of Edinburgh, was deceased by June 1653 and his wife, Jeanet Archibald, is described as his relict.

I disagree with your researcher regarding the "loss of continuity" here. I think that it is fair to assume that Patrick Scott was their son. In a charter of The Great Seal confirmed at Edinburgh on 22^nd February 1653, Patrick Scot of Edringtoune was granted the lands of Langshaw in the Lordship of Melrose. He was already described as "of Edringtoune". I note also some mention of the Scotts of Harperrig and Clerkington. The aforementioned Richard Lauder of Haltoun was married to Marion daughter of Sir Lawrence Scott of Harperrig & Clerkington. So probably some connection here. Patrick Scott of Edringtoun and Langshaw was married to Curle Drurie.

Patrick Scott, in conjunction with James Winraham, (Mystery here, as your researcher concludes. Probably there is an Inhibition somewhere in favour of Winraham forcing Scot to sell) sold "the lands of Edringtoun" with fishings etc. and, importantly, the "manor-place etc" to Sir James Douglas, Master of Mordington and eldest lawful son of William Lord of Mordington. This charter (2^nd August 1662) also includes "the town and lands of Nether Mordington with manor-place and mill". There is a clear distinction in this charter between the two lands with their separate manor-places. There is no mention of major houses or 'fortalices' and it may be that by this time both manors were uninhabited and not in a good state.

I have consulted Timothy Pont's old maps in Bleau's atlas (facsimile) and there is a clear distinction between Over Mordington (on the higher ground) and Nether (or lower) Mordington. Unfortunately, the map is unclear as to exact locations but there is clearly a mill at Nether Mordington on the stream which runs behind the present-day Edrington House.

I suppose that it is possible that Edrington House is in fact the manor-place of Nether Mordington but I do not think that it was a substantial pele tower, more a modest residence, especially if it was the Rev. Ramsay. The Ramsay family would not, as your researcher suggests, have erected another major manor at Nether Mordingtoun nor would the Douglases of Dalkeith who had no need of one. I have never seen any references for this construction. This family (of Iddingtoun or Edingtoun) were becoming impoverished throughout the 17^th century and their lowland estates were largely bought by Sir John Lauder of Newington about 1680 who took as his third wife, Margaret Ramsay, daughter to George Ramsay of Iddingtoun.

The Douglases were very rich but were Royalists and later Jacobites. I think it very likely that they were absentee landlords until and again unlikely that they rebuilt the splendid house which we see at Edrington today. I feel inclined to believe that the present house is an almost complete rebuild, possibly on the site of a former house, and that it is, as most reference books suggest, mid 18^th century, and probably constructed by one of the two Joseph Douglases. James Logan Mack says of Edrington castle that "after the Union it was suffered to fall into decay".

William 'The Lion', King of Scots (b. 1143 d. 4 Dec 1214)	#	Isabel Avenal
Robert de Ros of Helmsley (d. 1226)	=	Isabel (natural daughter of William the Lion)
William de Ros of Hamlake (d. 1258)	=	Lucy Fitzpiers
Robert de Ros, Lord de Ros (d. 17 May 1285)	=	Isabel d'Aubigny of Belvoir (d. 15 Jun 1301)
William de Ros, Lord de Ros (b. About 1255)	=	Maud de Vaux
William de Ros, Lord de Ros (d. 3 Feb 1342/4)	=	Margery de Badlesmere (b. 1306 d. 18 Oct 1363)
Thomas de Ros, Lord de Ros (d. 8 Jun 1384)	=	Beatrice Stafford
Thomas de Clifford, Lord Clifford	=	Elizabeth de Ros
John de Clifford, Lord Clifford (d. 1422)	=	Elizabeth Percy
Thomas de Clifford, Lord Clifford (b. 1414 d. 1454)	=	Joan Dacre
John de Clifford, Lord Clifford (b. 1435 d. 1461)	=	Margaret Bromflete
Henry de Clifford, Lord Clifford (b. 1454 d. 1523)	=	Anne St. John
Sir Ralph Bowes of Streatlam (d. 1516)	=	Elizabeth Clifford
Sir Ralph Eure, Warden of The Middle March (d. 1545)	=	Margery Bowes
Robert Lambton of Lambton (d. 1583)	=	Frances Eure
John Lambton of Durham (d. 1628)	=	Katherine Kirby
John Lambton of Durham (b. 1624)	=	Margaret Hall
Sir Robert Eden (b. 1644 d. 1720)	=	Margaret Lambton (b. 1651 d. 22 Jul 1730)
Sir John Eden (d. 1728)	=	Catherine Shafto
Sir Robert Eden (d. 1755)	=	Mary Davison of Beamish
Thomas Eden (d. 1805)	=	Mariana Jones (b. About 1750)
Arthur Eden (b. 1793 d. 1874)	=	Frances Buncombe-Poulett-Thomson
Hugh Hammersley (d. 1882)	=	Dulcibella Eden (d. 1903)
Walter Nassau Senior (b. 1850 d. 1933)	=	Mabel Barbara Hammersley (b. 1864 d. 1943)
Oliver Nassau Senior (b. 1901)	=	Dorothy Gardner Smith (b. 31 May 1904)
Denys Gordon Milne, C. B. E. (b. 12 Jan 1926)	=	Pamela Mary Senior
Graham Nassau Gordon Milne (b. 29 Sep 1955)

There appear to have been three Johns of Ros(s) living at the time of the grant of 1376 (see section 4), all of whom were cousins of Robert II (the grant refers to ‘my cousin’). One was the brother of Euphemia Ross, wife of Robert II (a ‘cousin’, I suppose, by marriage), one was John de Ross of Halkhead (Renfrewshire), referred to as a ‘consaguineus’ or blood relation of Robert II in a grant of 1367 (though why I am not sure), and the third was John de Ros, Baron de Ros (d. 1393), a cousin of Robert II by virtue of his descent from William the Lion (see above). His ancestor, William de Ros, was one of the Claimants to the throne of Scotland in the time of Edward I. The de Ros family (of John de Ros, Baron de Ros) built the castle of Wark on the Tweed and therefore presumably held land nearby at that time. It would appear to be less likely that the John de Ross of Halkhead would have been granted lands so far away from Renfrewshire and also unlikely that the brother of the queen (Euphemia) would have been granted such an insignificant property. I can only guess. In my view, the balance of probabilities, in the absence of more concrete evidence, is that the grant of 1376 was in favour of John de Ros, Baron de Ros, brother of my ancestor, Elizabeth de Ros (see above).

The well-known song 'Tibby Fowler of the Glen' relates, according to the 'Statistical Account of Scotland', to the small valley behind the house.

I'M Tibby Fowler o' the glen,
And nae great sight to see, sirs;
But 'cause I'm rich, these plaguy men
Will never let me be, sirs.

There's bonny Maggy o' the brae
As gude as lass can be, sirs;
But 'cause I'm rich these plaguy men
Hae a' run wud for me, sirs.

There's Nabob Jock comes strutting ben,
He thinks the day's his sin, sirs;
But were he a' hung round wi' goud,
He'd find himsel mista'en, sirs.

There's Wat aye tries to glowr and sigh
That I may guess the cause, sirs;
But Jenny-like I hate to spell
Dumb Roger's hums and ha's, sirs.