Clan Edmonstone facts for kids

Clan Edmonstone is a Scottish clan that doesn't have a chief right now. This means it's an armigerous clan. However, Sir Archibald Bruce Charles Edmonstone, who is the 17th of Duntreath, is seen as the Chieftain for the Edmonstones of Duntreath. Many people believe that most of the older family lines of the Edmonstone Clan have ended. Most people with the Edmonstone name (or similar spellings) are thought to be related to the Edmonstones of Duntreath.

How the Clan Started

The Edmonstone clan's story begins with a person named Edmundus or Admundus. He was an important person during the time of King David I, who ruled Scotland from 1124 to 1153.

Edmundus was a witness to an important document (called a charter) from the King. This charter gave lands to a knight named Waltero de Riddle. In return, King David I gave Edmundus lands in an area called Laudonia. This area is now known as the shire of Edinburgh.

Back then, it was common for people to name their lands after themselves. So, Edmundus named his new lands Admonston or Edmonston. This name then became the family's surname, passed down to his children.

The name "Edmundiston" was first written down in 1248, when Henricus de Edmundiston was a witness to another charter. Later, in 1359, during the reign of King David II, a legal check (called an inquest) confirmed that Henricus de Edmundiston had died. It also said that Johannes de Edmundiston was his rightful son and heir. This check also noted that Johannes held land from the Abbey of Dumfermline.

In 1352, John Edmonstone was chosen as the Coroner for the Lothian area. This was an important legal role. In 1363, he joined the group that went with King David II to England to talk about a peace agreement. He also traveled to England on the King's behalf in 1367 and 1369. John de Edmondiston and other nobles signed the peace agreement at Edinburgh Castle on July 20, 1369.

John Edmonstone was a very busy and important person. In 1372, he traveled to England with twelve men. In 1373, he was part of a group sent to Rome, and they were given a lot of money for their trip.

King Robert II gave Sir John a special document (a charter) on January 31, 1374. This allowed Sir John to travel to France as one of the King's ambassadors. They were to ask the French King Charles V to help Margaret Logie, who was the widow of David II, with a case in the Pope's court. They also demanded payment for attacks by Norman pirates on Scottish traders. In 1381, Sir John was given permission to travel with 16 men and 16 horses on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The next year, he got permission to return.

Sir John was clearly a wealthy and influential man. King David II gave him the lands and barony of Boyne in Banff in 1369. King Robert II also gave him some lands near Haddington, East Lothian. He also seemed to be a trader. It's recorded that King Richard II of England allowed him to transport a large amount of malt from England to Scotland using his own ships.

We don't know when Sir John died or who his wife was. However, records show that his eldest son, also named John, took over after him. Sir Archibald Edmonstone, the 3rd Baronet, believed that Archibald, who started the Duntreath family, was probably Sir John's younger son.

John Edmonstone the younger was also involved with the royal court, just like his father. He married Isabel, or Isabella, who was the daughter of King Robert II and the widow of James, the 2nd Earl of Douglas and Mar. In 1390, King Robert II gave them the estate of Edenham, or Ednam, in Roxburghshire, as a wedding gift.

Sir John and Isabella had one son named David. A document from 1410 shows that Sir John Edmonstone and his son David acquired the lands and barony of Tillyallan in Clackmannanshire.

Sir David married Agnes, the daughter of Robert Maitland of Thirlestane. He must have died young, because in 1426, his son James Edmonstone was already confirmed as his heir.

In 1430, James Edmonstone, while still a boy, was one of the young nobles knighted by King James I at Holyroodhouse. This happened during the celebrations after the christening of the King's twin baby sons.

Sir James first married Isabella, daughter of Sir John Forester. They had a son named John. His second marriage was to Janet, daughter of Sir Alexander Napier. They had two daughters, Elizabeth and Margaret. The estates of Tillyallan and Boyne in Banffshire were divided among them, and so these lands left the family.

Sir James's son John took over the family estates of Edmonstone and Ednam. The Edmonstones, known as "of that ilk" (meaning "of the same name as their lands") and "of Edenham," continued to live at Edmonstone in Midlothian until they sold it in 1624.

The family then moved to Edenham, or Ednam, in Roxburghshire. But this estate was sold by James Edmondstoune, who was the last male heir of the main family line. He died in 1772 without marrying. The estate was sold several times until the 1st Earl of Dudley bought it in 1827. He then took Ednam as his second title.

Before selling Ednam, Sir James Edmondstoune had bought the estate of Cora on the Clyde river. His sisters lived there until the last one died in 1826, supposedly over a hundred years old.

Edmonstones of Duntreath

The Duntreath area was part of the Lennox region by the mid-1300s. A document from February 9, 1408, shows that Donald, the Earl of Lennox, gave the lands of Duntreath to his brother Murdoch.

The Edmonstones of Duntreath are descended from Archibald. He is believed to be the second son of the first Sir John Edmonstone. This would make him the brother of the second John, who married Isabella, King Robert II's daughter. Isabella's brother, Robert, became King Robert III in 1390. However, because he was not well, others took control of the government. His heir, the Duke of Rothesay, and his brother, the Duke of Albany, were put in charge.

In 1398, Queen Anabella, King Robert III's wife, held a big knightly competition in Edinburgh. David, Duke of Rothesay, was the main knight. The next year, the King accepted a challenge from an English knight, Robert Morley. Morley said he would take a golden cup from the King's table unless a Scottish knight stopped him. James Douglas of Strabnock defeated Morley. Morley then rode to Berwick and fought two Scottish knights, Hugo Wallace and Archibald Edmonstone, on the same day. The Englishman lost, and Archibald Edmonstone might have been knighted for his victory.

In 1406, King Robert III was worried. His oldest son, David, Duke of Rothesay, had died under suspicious circumstances. Now, his only other son, James, who was twelve, was the only one standing between Albany and the throne. To protect James, King Robert secretly arranged for him to go to France. James left Rothesay Castle and was taken to North Berwick. There, he was joined by an escort of men his father trusted, including Sir Archibald Edmonstone. After a month, a merchant ship sailed from Leith and took James and his group aboard.

It seemed they had escaped, but on March 22, as the ship sailed around Flamborough Head, pirates captured it. They sailed to London, where King Henry IV was pleased and rewarded them with the ship's cargo. Prince James was sent to the Tower of London. The English, not wanting to pay for Scottish prisoners, seemed to release his escort.

King Robert III died of shock when he heard about his son's capture. Albany then became the Regent (ruler in place of the King) during the young King's eighteen years of captivity. In 1411, Sir Archibald Edmonstone was one of two visitors who carried letters back to Albany and the Scottish nobles, asking them to arrange James's release.

King James I, as he was now called, returned to Scotland in 1424. His uncle Albany had died. But in March 1425, King James I put Albany's heir, Murdoch Duke of Albany, on trial and executed him. He also executed all but one of Murdoch's sons and his elderly father-in-law, the Earl of Lennox. The King then gave their lands, which were taken by the crown, to his supporters, including William, Sir Archibald Edmonstone's son.

Records from 1434 show that King James I officially gave the lands of Duntreath to William Edmonstone.

Sir William Edmonstone, who was the 1st of Duntreath, was also known as "of Culloden." These lands near Inverness were acquired from the Seton family, showing another family connection. In 1425, he married Princess Mary, who was the sister of King James I and the widow of the Earl of Angus. She was his fourth wife. Even though she was likely in her late thirties, they had a son and a daughter. She is buried in Strathblane church.

On July 20, 1593, the Laird of Tullibardine had a disagreement with William Edmondstone of Duntreath during a session of the Parliament in Edinburgh.

Duntreath Estate

The Duntreath estate is located in the Blane Valley, about twelve miles north of Glasgow. In the 1990s, it covered about 6,000 acres. The original Barony of Duntreath included several areas like Duntreath itself, Craigbrock, Arlehaven Edmonstone, and Dumgoiach.

Duntreath Castle stands in the Blane Valley, about 100 feet above sea level. It was built as a fortress in a place that was easy to defend. The cone-shaped, wooded hill of Dumgoyach, made of strong volcanic rock, is to the southwest. On the other side of the valley, the top of Park Hill was flattened by people, possibly for a fort or a place where courts were held.

In the past, guards would have watched from these high points, and archers would have been ready to defend against enemies. The area west of the castle, called the Park, used to flood easily, making it hard for horses to cross. Now, thanks to drainage work, this land is firm enough for horse events.

Over time, the Duntreath estate has changed a lot. New houses have been built, and woods have been planted and cut down.

The Glasgow water supply, which brings water from Loch Katrine to Mugdock reservoir, was opened by Queen Victoria in 1859. A path called "The Water Track" was built to help maintain the underground pipes. This path runs along the eastern side of the Blane Valley. It was watched closely during the last world war and is now a popular walking path between Blanefield and Killearn.

A railway line was built by the Blane Valley Company between Lennoxtown and Killearn and opened in 1867. It was later extended to Aberfoyle but closed in 1951. Part of this old railway line is now part of "The West Highland Way," a long-distance walking route used by thousands of people each year.

Other Branches of the Family

The Edmonstones of Spittal or Broich. Sir Archibald Edmonstone, the 3rd Baronet, wrote in 1851 that this branch was the only one still having male heirs. Both sides of this family came from sons of Sir Archibald Edmonstone, the 3rd of Duntreath. For many generations, they were managers of the Duntreath estate.

The Edmonstones of Cambus-Wallace. This family branch might have ended with the death of Mr. James Edmonstone of Newton, Doune, in the 1800s. However, later notes suggest that a direct line of the Cambus-Wallace family was believed to still be living in Biggar.

The Shetland Family of Edmonston. Andrew Edmonston, a church minister, moved to Shetland during the reign of Mary, Queen of Scots (1542–1567). He seemed to be connected to the main family line. His descendants, who spell their name without the 'e', still live today in Unst, the northernmost island of Shetland.

The National Dictionary of Biography describes the Edmondston family (spelled with an 'e') as "one of the oldest in Shetland." Laurence Edmondston, a surgeon in Lerwick, was the only doctor in the islands for most of his life. His oldest son, Arthur, also became a doctor. He served in the army before returning to Lerwick to take over his father's practice. He died in 1841 without marrying.

Laurence Edmondston, born in 1795, was Arthur's youngest brother. He was a doctor and an "udaller" (owner) of Unst.

Laurence's oldest son, Thomas Edmondston (1825-1846), was born in Unst. He became a well-known naturalist and was chosen to be a professor in Glasgow in 1845. But before he could start teaching, he took a job as a naturalist on a ship called the Herald. The ship was off the coast of Peru when a rifle accidentally went off, and Thomas was killed instantly. He was only twenty-one years old.

His sister, Jessie Margaret Edmondston Saxby (1842–1940), became a famous author, folklorist, and suffragette. In 1859, she married Henry Saxby, a doctor and expert on birds.

Different Ways to Spell the Name

The Edmonstone name has many different spellings, including:

• Edmondson
• Edmonson
• Edminson
• Edmison
• Edminston
• Edmisten
• Edmiston
• Edmeston
• Edmondon
• And many more!

Some family members might have intentionally changed the spelling from Edmonstone to Edmiston. This might have been to distance themselves from Sir James Edmonstone, the 6th of Duntreath (1544-1618), who was accused of some bad actions. James was also the Laird of Duntreath who temporarily lost the Duntreath estate by mortgaging it, before his grandson Archibald got it back.

For many American descendants, the spelling changed again due to mistakes made by record keepers in census records over the years.

Castles of Clan Edmonstone

Several castles have been connected to Clan Edmonstone over time:

• Boyne Castle, in Aberdeenshire. King David II of Scotland granted this land in 1369. It later passed to the Ogilvie family through marriage, and they built the current castle.
• Ednam Castle, in the Borders region. King Robert II of Scotland granted this land in 1390 as a wedding gift (dowry) for the marriage of John Edmonstone and Princess Isabella of Scotland.
• Culloden Castle, in Highland. King James II of Scotland granted this to William Edmonstone in 1455. It was sold to the Strachan family in the 1500s.
• Duntreath Castle, in Stirling. The lands were granted by King Robert III of Scotland in 1435 as a dowry for the marriage of his granddaughter Princess Mary, daughter of Prince James of Scotland. The castle construction began around 1452.