Lockharts of Lee
Encyclopedia
The Lockharts of Lee are a Lanarkshire
family that trace their descent from Sir Simon Locard
(the name being originally territorial, de Loch Ard
). The family estate is the barony of Lee, centred on Lee Castle
near Lanark
, originally built around 1272 but much expanded in the 19th century.
, 2nd of Lee, is said to have accompanied Sir James Douglas
on his expedition to the East with the heart of Robert the Bruce
, which relic, according to Froissart, Locard brought home from Spain when Douglas fell in battle against the Moors at the Battle of Teba
, and buried in Melrose Abbey
. This incident was the origin of the "man's heart within a fetterlock" borne on the Lockhart shield, which in turn perhaps led to the altered spelling of the surname.
William Dunbar
in his Lament for the Makaris
mourns Schir Mungo Lokert of the Le among a roll call of mainly fifteenth century poets. This was possibly the knycht (d. 1489) identified by Priscilla Bawcutt. No works have been traced to him.
with the judicial title of Lord Lee, who commanded a regiment at the battle of Preston (1648)
. Lord Lee's eldest son, Sir William Lockhart of Lee
(1621–1675), after fighting on the king's side in the English Civil War
, attached himself to Oliver Cromwell
, whose niece he married, and by whom he was appointed commissioner for the administration of justice in Scotland in 1652, and English ambassador at the French court in 1656, where he greatly distinguished himself by his successful diplomacy.
Lord Lee's second son, Sir George Lockhart
(c.1630-1689), was Lord Advocate
in Cromwell's time, and was celebrated for his persuasive eloquence; in 1674, when he was disbarred for alleged disrespect to the court of session in advising an appeal to parliament, fifty barristers showed their sympathy for him by withdrawing from practice. Lockhart was readmitted in 1676, and became the leading advocate in political trials, in which he usually appeared for the defence. He was appointed Lord President of the Court of Session in 1685, and was shot in the streets of Edinburgh on the 31st of March 1689 by John Chiesley, against whom the Lord President had adjudicated a cause relating to the inheritance of the Kerswell estate by Carnwath
. Sir George Lockhart purchased the extensive estates of the Earls of Carnwath
in Lanarkshire, which were inherited by his eldest son, George Lockhart of Lee
(1673–1731), whose mother was Philadelphia, daughter of Lord Wharton.
, who assumed his mother's name of Wishart (of Clifton Hall) in addition to that of Lockhart, was in the Austrian service during the Seven Years' War
, and was created a baron and count of the Holy Roman Empire
. He succeeded to the estates of Lee as well as of Carnwath, both of which properties passed, on the death of his son Charles without issue in 1802, to his nephew Alexander Macdonald Lockhart, who was created a baronet
in 1806.
, until 2004 when it was sold to an American computer businessman.
Lanarkshire
Lanarkshire or the County of Lanark ) is a Lieutenancy area, registration county and former local government county in the central Lowlands of Scotland...
family that trace their descent from Sir Simon Locard
Simon Locard
Sir Symon Locard, 2nd of Lee was a Scottish knight who fought in the Wars of Scottish Independence. He accompanied Sir James Douglas in their curtailed attempt to carry the heart of Robert the Bruce to the Holy Land in 1330.-Family:...
(the name being originally territorial, de Loch Ard
Loch Ard
Loch Ard is a body of fresh water in the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park of the Stirling District in Scotland. -Overview:...
). The family estate is the barony of Lee, centred on Lee Castle
Lee Castle, South Lanarkshire
Lee Castle, also known as The Lee, is a castellated mansion in Auchenglen, a branch of the Clyde Valley in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is located south of Braidwood, and north-west of Lanark...
near Lanark
Lanark
Lanark is a small town in the central belt of Scotland. Its population of 8,253 makes it the 100th largest settlement in Scotland. The name is believed to come from the Cumbric Lanerc meaning "clear space, glade"....
, originally built around 1272 but much expanded in the 19th century.
Origins
Sir Simon LocardSimon Locard
Sir Symon Locard, 2nd of Lee was a Scottish knight who fought in the Wars of Scottish Independence. He accompanied Sir James Douglas in their curtailed attempt to carry the heart of Robert the Bruce to the Holy Land in 1330.-Family:...
, 2nd of Lee, is said to have accompanied Sir James Douglas
James Douglas, Lord of Douglas
Sir James Douglas , , was a Scottish soldier and knight who fought in the Scottish Wars of Independence.-Early life:...
on his expedition to the East with the heart of Robert the Bruce
Robert I of Scotland
Robert I , popularly known as Robert the Bruce , was King of Scots from March 25, 1306, until his death in 1329.His paternal ancestors were of Scoto-Norman heritage , and...
, which relic, according to Froissart, Locard brought home from Spain when Douglas fell in battle against the Moors at the Battle of Teba
Battle of Teba
The Battle of Teba took place in August 1330, in the valley below the fortress of Teba, now a town in the province of Málaga in Andalusia, southern Spain...
, and buried in Melrose Abbey
Melrose Abbey
Melrose Abbey is a Gothic-style abbey in Melrose, Scotland. It was founded in 1136 by Cistercian monks, on the request of King David I of Scotland. It was headed by the Abbot or Commendator of Melrose. Today the abbey is maintained by Historic Scotland...
. This incident was the origin of the "man's heart within a fetterlock" borne on the Lockhart shield, which in turn perhaps led to the altered spelling of the surname.
William Dunbar
William Dunbar
William Dunbar was a Scottish poet. He was probably a native of East Lothian, as assumed from a satirical reference in the Flyting of Dunbar and Kennedie , where, too, it is hinted that he was a member of the noble house of Dunbar....
in his Lament for the Makaris
Lament for the Makaris
I that in Heill wes and Gladnes, also known as The Lament for the Makaris, is a poem in the form of a danse macabre by the Scottish poet William Dunbar...
mourns Schir Mungo Lokert of the Le among a roll call of mainly fifteenth century poets. This was possibly the knycht (d. 1489) identified by Priscilla Bawcutt. No works have been traced to him.
17th century
Sir James Lockhart of Lee (d. 1674), was a lord of the Court of SessionCourt of Session
The Court of Session is the supreme civil court of Scotland, and constitutes part of the College of Justice. It sits in Parliament House in Edinburgh and is both a court of first instance and a court of appeal....
with the judicial title of Lord Lee, who commanded a regiment at the battle of Preston (1648)
Battle of Preston (1648)
The Battle of Preston , fought largely at Walton-le-Dale near Preston in Lancashire, resulted in a victory by the troops of Oliver Cromwell over the Royalists and Scots commanded by the Duke of Hamilton...
. Lord Lee's eldest son, Sir William Lockhart of Lee
William Lockhart of Lee
Sir William Lockhart of Lee , after fighting on the side of Charles I in the English Civil War, attached himself to Oliver Cromwell, whose niece he married, and who later appointed Lockhart commissioner for the administration of justice in Scotland in 1652...
(1621–1675), after fighting on the king's side in the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
, attached himself to Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
, whose niece he married, and by whom he was appointed commissioner for the administration of justice in Scotland in 1652, and English ambassador at the French court in 1656, where he greatly distinguished himself by his successful diplomacy.
Lord Lee's second son, Sir George Lockhart
George Lockhart (advocate)
Sir George Lockhart of Carnwath was a Scottish lawyer.The son of Sir James Lockhart of Lee, laird of Lee, he was admitted as an advocate in 1656. He was knighted in 1663, and was appointed Dean of the Faculty of Advocates in 1672. He was celebrated for his persuasive eloquence...
(c.1630-1689), was Lord Advocate
Lord Advocate
Her Majesty's Advocate , known as the Lord Advocate , is the chief legal officer of the Scottish Government and the Crown in Scotland for both civil and criminal matters that fall within the devolved powers of the Scottish Parliament...
in Cromwell's time, and was celebrated for his persuasive eloquence; in 1674, when he was disbarred for alleged disrespect to the court of session in advising an appeal to parliament, fifty barristers showed their sympathy for him by withdrawing from practice. Lockhart was readmitted in 1676, and became the leading advocate in political trials, in which he usually appeared for the defence. He was appointed Lord President of the Court of Session in 1685, and was shot in the streets of Edinburgh on the 31st of March 1689 by John Chiesley, against whom the Lord President had adjudicated a cause relating to the inheritance of the Kerswell estate by Carnwath
Carnwath
Carnwath is a moorland village on the southern edge of the Pentland Hills of Lanarkshire, Scotland. The village lies about south of both Edinburgh and Glasgow...
. Sir George Lockhart purchased the extensive estates of the Earls of Carnwath
Earl of Carnwath
The title Earl of Carnwath was created in the Peerage of Scotland in 1639 for the 2nd Lord Dalzell. His father, Sir Robert Dalzell, had been created Lord Dalzell in 1628. The 5th Earl was attainted and the peerage forfeit in 1716, due to the Lord Carnwath's Jacobitism and support for the Fifteen,...
in Lanarkshire, which were inherited by his eldest son, George Lockhart of Lee
George Lockhart
Sir George Lockhart of Lee , of Carnwath, South Lanarkshire, also known as Lockhart of Carnwath, was a Scottish writer, spy and politician.He was the son of Sir George Lockhart of Lee....
(1673–1731), whose mother was Philadelphia, daughter of Lord Wharton.
18th century
The grandson of George Lockhart of Lee, JamesJames Lockhart
James Lockhart of Lee and Carnwath, Count Lockhart-Wischeart of the Holy Roman Empire, , was a Scottish aristocrat with a successful military career.-Early years:...
, who assumed his mother's name of Wishart (of Clifton Hall) in addition to that of Lockhart, was in the Austrian service during the Seven Years' War
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
, and was created a baron and count of the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
. He succeeded to the estates of Lee as well as of Carnwath, both of which properties passed, on the death of his son Charles without issue in 1802, to his nephew Alexander Macdonald Lockhart, who was created a baronet
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
in 1806.
Modern history
On the death of Sir Simon Macdonald Lockhart in 1919, the baronetcy became extinct. The family occupied Lee Castle, and owned extensive property in the area including the nearby Tower of HallbarTower of Hallbar
The Tower of Hallbar, also known as Hallbar Tower and Braidwood Castle, is a 16th century tower house, located to the west of the River Clyde in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. The tower is situated above the Fiddler Burn, 3.5 km south-west of Carluke, and 1.5 km east of Crossford...
, until 2004 when it was sold to an American computer businessman.