Individual Details
Sir Walter Scott
( - 1469)
Sir Walter Scott of Kirkurd, knight, had a charter of the lands of Lempetlaw within the barony of Sprouston from Archibald, earl of Douglas, on resignation of Robert Scott, his father, dated 2 July 1426. Also obtained a charter of lands and barony of Eckford, &c. from King James II, dated 3 May 1437. Exchanged lands of Murdieston in Clydesdale, with Thomas Inglis of Manir for his half of the barony of Branxholm (poetically Branksome) in Roxburghshire 23 July 1446.
He was one of the conservators of truces with England in 1449, 1451, 1453, 1457 and 1459. Obtained from James II grant of lands of Abbington, Phareholm and Glendonanrig by charter dated 22 February 1458 or 1459. James II also granted to him and to Sir David, his son, the remaining half of the barony of Branxholm to be held in blanch for the payment of a red rose for their brave and faithful exertions in favor of the king against the house of Douglas. He also conferred on them part of the barony of Langholm in the county of Dumfries.
Sir Walter established THE PRINCIPAL RESIDENCE OF THE BUCCLEUCH FAMILY AT BRANXHOLM CASTLE.
Succeeded his uncle in the estate of Synton.
Obtained from King James I a grant of the Mains of Eckford, in the county of Roxburgh, as a reward for his capture of Gilbert of Rutherford, a noted reiver, which grant was completed by King James II, by charter dated at Stirling 3 May 1437. Exchanged his lands of Murdiestoun in 1446, with Thomas Inglis of Manor, for half of the lands of Branxholme, of which he already possessed the other half.
Tradition imputes the exchange to a conversation betwixt Scott and Inglis, who complained much of the injuries he was exposed to from the English Borderers, who frequently plundered his lands of Branxholm. Scott instantly offered him the estate of Murdiestoun by way of excambion; when the bargain was completed, he duly observed that the Curberland cattle were as good as those of Teviotdale, and proceeded to commence a system of reprisals upon the English which was regularly pursued by his successors. He was one of the conservators of truces with England.
Eldest son, sixth Laird of Murdiestoun and Buccleuch; acquired the second half of the lands of Branxholm from Thomas Inglis in exchange for the lands of Murdiestoun. Note: He was the first of the family we find designated "of Buccleuch" but Rankilburn and Buccleuch being interchangeable names for the same place justifies him being described as sixth of Buccleuch.
First designated "of Buccleuch," possessed the estates for forty-three years, and added considerably to their extent. He seems to have exerted himself in helping James I to suppress the lawless borderers after the king's return form his long captivity in England; and one of his earliest exploits was the capture of Gilbert Rutherford, a noted reiver. He obtained the title of knight between March and May 1436--probably at the coronation of James II, to whom he was afterwards of great assistance in counteracting the ambitious and powerful Earls of Douglas.
He was a man of bravery and determination, and nothing could be more characteristic than the way in which he became possessed of the second half of Branxholme. When Inglis, its owner, complained of the depredations committed on the lands by English borderers, Buccleuch promptly offered to give him the lands of Murthoston for the remaining half of Branxholme. On the bargain being ratified, Sir Walter remarked that "the Cumberland kye were as good as the Teviotdale,"--a threat of retaliation which neither he nor his successors failed to carry into effect whenever the men of Tynedale were hardy enough to provoke it.
In 1436 this laird was designated "Walter Scot of the Bucluche"--first and modest mention of a name now gracing the title of a dukedom.
At Langholm, on May-day 1455, Sir Walter Scott and his eldest son David led a strong body of borderers against the last remnant of the army raised to revenge the Earl of Douglas's murder by the king. As a reward for these services, David Scott got a grant from the king of Quhytehestir, in the barony of Hawick; and gradually the family obtained many lands in Selkirkshire long possessed by the Douglases. From this time until the reign of James VI, the designation of Kirkurd, Branxholme, or Buccleuch, was used indifferently, the first gradually giving place to the second, and the second being finally superseded by Buccleuch.
Sir Walter Scott died before February 1469, and was succeeded by David, eldest son of his marriage with Margaret Cockburn of Henderland. Another son, James, got Kirkurd and Hassendean, and a third, Alexander, died early, leaving two sons, Walter and Adam.
Progenitor of the Scotts of Satchells.
Ancestor of the families of Hassendean, Burnhead, etc. His descendants, however, are not mentioned in the charter of 1488.
Designed of Kirkurd and Hassendene, ancestor of the Scotts of Hassendene, Burnfoot, and Burnhead.
Walter married Margaret Cockburn of Henderland, 15, F, daughter of Cockburn of Henderland, 149, M.
Sir Walter Scott of Buccleuch and Margaret Cockburn had the following children:
David Scott of Buccleuch, 16, M (-1491)
John Scott_of_Burnhead, 136, M
Alexander Scott of Howpasley, 17, M (-1488)
George Scott_of_Synton, 74, M
James, 77, M.
He was one of the conservators of truces with England in 1449, 1451, 1453, 1457 and 1459. Obtained from James II grant of lands of Abbington, Phareholm and Glendonanrig by charter dated 22 February 1458 or 1459. James II also granted to him and to Sir David, his son, the remaining half of the barony of Branxholm to be held in blanch for the payment of a red rose for their brave and faithful exertions in favor of the king against the house of Douglas. He also conferred on them part of the barony of Langholm in the county of Dumfries.
Sir Walter established THE PRINCIPAL RESIDENCE OF THE BUCCLEUCH FAMILY AT BRANXHOLM CASTLE.
Succeeded his uncle in the estate of Synton.
Obtained from King James I a grant of the Mains of Eckford, in the county of Roxburgh, as a reward for his capture of Gilbert of Rutherford, a noted reiver, which grant was completed by King James II, by charter dated at Stirling 3 May 1437. Exchanged his lands of Murdiestoun in 1446, with Thomas Inglis of Manor, for half of the lands of Branxholme, of which he already possessed the other half.
Tradition imputes the exchange to a conversation betwixt Scott and Inglis, who complained much of the injuries he was exposed to from the English Borderers, who frequently plundered his lands of Branxholm. Scott instantly offered him the estate of Murdiestoun by way of excambion; when the bargain was completed, he duly observed that the Curberland cattle were as good as those of Teviotdale, and proceeded to commence a system of reprisals upon the English which was regularly pursued by his successors. He was one of the conservators of truces with England.
Eldest son, sixth Laird of Murdiestoun and Buccleuch; acquired the second half of the lands of Branxholm from Thomas Inglis in exchange for the lands of Murdiestoun. Note: He was the first of the family we find designated "of Buccleuch" but Rankilburn and Buccleuch being interchangeable names for the same place justifies him being described as sixth of Buccleuch.
First designated "of Buccleuch," possessed the estates for forty-three years, and added considerably to their extent. He seems to have exerted himself in helping James I to suppress the lawless borderers after the king's return form his long captivity in England; and one of his earliest exploits was the capture of Gilbert Rutherford, a noted reiver. He obtained the title of knight between March and May 1436--probably at the coronation of James II, to whom he was afterwards of great assistance in counteracting the ambitious and powerful Earls of Douglas.
He was a man of bravery and determination, and nothing could be more characteristic than the way in which he became possessed of the second half of Branxholme. When Inglis, its owner, complained of the depredations committed on the lands by English borderers, Buccleuch promptly offered to give him the lands of Murthoston for the remaining half of Branxholme. On the bargain being ratified, Sir Walter remarked that "the Cumberland kye were as good as the Teviotdale,"--a threat of retaliation which neither he nor his successors failed to carry into effect whenever the men of Tynedale were hardy enough to provoke it.
In 1436 this laird was designated "Walter Scot of the Bucluche"--first and modest mention of a name now gracing the title of a dukedom.
At Langholm, on May-day 1455, Sir Walter Scott and his eldest son David led a strong body of borderers against the last remnant of the army raised to revenge the Earl of Douglas's murder by the king. As a reward for these services, David Scott got a grant from the king of Quhytehestir, in the barony of Hawick; and gradually the family obtained many lands in Selkirkshire long possessed by the Douglases. From this time until the reign of James VI, the designation of Kirkurd, Branxholme, or Buccleuch, was used indifferently, the first gradually giving place to the second, and the second being finally superseded by Buccleuch.
Sir Walter Scott died before February 1469, and was succeeded by David, eldest son of his marriage with Margaret Cockburn of Henderland. Another son, James, got Kirkurd and Hassendean, and a third, Alexander, died early, leaving two sons, Walter and Adam.
Progenitor of the Scotts of Satchells.
Ancestor of the families of Hassendean, Burnhead, etc. His descendants, however, are not mentioned in the charter of 1488.
Designed of Kirkurd and Hassendene, ancestor of the Scotts of Hassendene, Burnfoot, and Burnhead.
Walter married Margaret Cockburn of Henderland, 15, F, daughter of Cockburn of Henderland, 149, M.
Sir Walter Scott of Buccleuch and Margaret Cockburn had the following children:
David Scott of Buccleuch, 16, M (-1491)
John Scott_of_Burnhead, 136, M
Alexander Scott of Howpasley, 17, M (-1488)
George Scott_of_Synton, 74, M
James, 77, M.
Events
| Death | 1469 | ||||
| Marriage | Margaret Cockburn | ||||
| Description |  | ||||
| Description | |
Families
| Spouse | Margaret Cockburn ( - 1463) |
| Child | Sir David Scott (1440 - 1492) |
| Father | Robert Scott ( - 1426) |
Notes
Description
In 1596 Sir Walter Scott, the then Laird of Buccleuch, numbered among his many retainers a celebrated border raider, Kinmont Willie. In March of that year, a truce having been called with the English for the purpose of a meeting of the War- dens of the Marches, Buccleuch, being Warden of Liddesdale, attended the meeting near Kershope- foot, Kinmont Willie with other retainers accompanying him. Kinmont's frequent and successful raids had made him an object of much dislike to the English, and when riding home from the meeting he was surprised and taken prisoner by Lord Scrope's men, in direct violation of the border law granting a full day's immunity to all present at a Warden's meeting on a day of truce.Buccleuch realized that he must strike at once or Kinmont History of the Scott Family 29 Willie would hang at Carlisle. He gathered the Scotts, Armstrongs, Elliots and Graemes, and al- though he called for only the younger sons on such a forlorn hope, Auld Wat of Harden and other elder Scotts rode with their chief. They met at Einmont Willie's tower, ten miles north of Carlisle, and in a storm of wind and sleet, with scaling ladders stormed the strongly fortified castle of Carlisle, carrying out Kinmont Willie, fetters and all. King James was compelled to accede to the constant demands of Queen Elizabeth of England for the punishment of Buccleuch who was imprisoned by the English Queen.
Some two years after his imprisonment Buccleuch was asked by the Queen "How dared you undertake an enterprise so desperate and presumptuous?" "Dared?" replied Buccleuch, "what is it that a man dares not do?" "With ten thou- sand such men," said Elizabeth, "our brother of Scotland might shake the firmest crown in Europe." The castle of Branxholm, and its immediate neighborhood, is the scene of the "Lay of the Last Minstrel," in which is described the trial by single combat between Richard Musgrave and the pseudo William Scott of Deloraine.
Description
In the reign of James I of Scotland (1406-1437), Sir William Scott of Buccleuch exchanged, with Sir Thomas Inglis, the estate of Murdieston, in Lan- arkshire, for one-half of the barony of Branxholm, or Branksome, lying upon the Teviot, about three miles above the border town of Hawick. The remaining half of the barony was, in 1443, granted by James II to Sir Walter Scott and Sir David, his son, as a reward for their services to the King, against the house of Douglas, with whom King James had been contending for the throne. Branxholm became the principal seat of the family of Scott of Buccleuch, and the "ower word" or gathering cry of the clan "Mount for Branxholm." The castle was enlarged and strengthened by Sir David Scott the grandson of Sir William.In 1570 it was temporarily destroyed by the then Laird under the following circumstances. The Earl of Northumber- land, having assembled a strong force at Wark- worth, crossed the border and proceeded up the Valley of the Teviot to lay waste the lands of Branxholm. He left not "one house, one stak of corn, nor one shyef, without the gates of the said Lord Buclough unburnt." Buccleuch, however, rather than allow the castle to be despoiled by the English, himself burned down the home of his ancestors. This foray of the Earl of Northumberland was undertaken on behalf of the English Queen, Elizabeth, who had been provoked by the frequent raids of Buccleuch and especially by his espousal of the cause of Queen Mary.
Buccleuch quickly retaliated; for, with other border chiefs, he invaded Northumberland and laying waste the country, returned laden with spoil. He also, at once com- 28 History of the Scott Family menced the rebuilding and enlarging of Branxholm ; which work being uncompleted on his death in 1574, was finished by his widow, Dame Margaret of Douglas. The following inscriptions still preserve their memory. Upon a stone, bearing the arms of Buccleuch, this legend appears, "Sir W. Scott, of Branxheim, Knyt, of of Sir William Scott of Kirkurd, Knyt, began ye work upon ye 24 of March, 1571 zier quha departed at God's pleasure ye 17th April, 1574" and on a similar compartment are sculptured the arms of Douglas, with this inscription "Dame Margaret Douglas his spouse completed the forsaid work in October 1576." The Lairds of Buccleuch observed much baronial magnificence at Branxholm, maintaining a large household, both probably from a desire for splendor, and on account of their border situation necessitating a strong body of retainers.