William Cranstoun, 1st Lord Cranstoun
Encyclopedia
William Cranstoun, 1st Lord Cranstoun
(died June 1627) was a Scottish Lord of Parliament
, who played a prominent part in the pacification of the Anglo-Scottish border
in the early 17th century.
family
, whose estates had since at least the 14th century ( been centred on Cranston (or "Cranstoun"), in Midlothian
, and Denholm
, in the Borders
.
The last Cranstoun of Cranstoun - Sir John, who was still alive in June 1609 - left five daughters, of whom William married the second, Sarah. Their contract of marriage was dated December 1580.
, Lieutenant of the Borders. In 1605 he was keeper of Lochmaben Castle
and a deputy-lieutenant of the Borders.
Cranstoun rapidly acquired a reputation for extreme ruthlessness. On one occasion, the inhabitants of Dumfries
conspired unsuccessfully to assassinate him and he more than once received blanket pardons or indemnities, holding him harmless in respect of prior atrocities. The summary approach adopted by Lord Dunbar and Cranstoun (hang first and try afterwards) became known as "Jeddart
Justice".
In 1608, Cranstoun represented the small barons of Roxburghshire
in the Convention of Estates
. He was raised to the peerage, as Lord Cranstoun, by patent dated 19 November 1609. In 1611 he was promoted to succeed Lord Dunbar as Lieutenant of the Borders and was appointed to the Privy Council
.
Sir John Balfour Paul's The Scots Peerage records of him that:
Cranstoun died in June 1627.
Lord Cranstoun
Lord Cranstoun was a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created on 17 November 1609 for Sir William Cranstoun of that Ilk, sometimes designated 'of Morristoun', Berwickshire. On the death of the eleventh lord, unmarried, in 1869, the peerage became extinct.-Lords Cranstoun :*William...
(died June 1627) was a Scottish Lord of Parliament
Lord of Parliament
A Lord of Parliament was the lowest rank of nobility automatically entitled to attend sessions of the pre-Union Parliament of Scotland. Post-Union, it is a member of the lowest rank of the Peerage of Scotland, ranking below a viscount...
, who played a prominent part in the pacification of the Anglo-Scottish border
Anglo-Scottish border
The Anglo-Scottish border is the official border and mark of entry between Scotland and England. It runs for 154 km between the River Tweed on the east coast and the Solway Firth in the west. It is Scotland's only land border...
in the early 17th century.
Origins
Cranstoun was the son of John Cranstoun of Morriestoun and grandson of Cuthbert Cranstoun of Thirlestanemains, belonging to one branch of a prominent LowlandScottish Lowlands
The Scottish Lowlands is a name given to the Southern half of Scotland.The area is called a' Ghalldachd in Scottish Gaelic, and the Lawlands ....
family
Clan Cranstoun
Clan Cranstoun is a Lowland Scottish clan.- Origins of the clan :The name Cranstoun comes from the Barony of Cranstoun in Midlothian. The family owned lands in the counties of Edinburgh and Roxburgh....
, whose estates had since at least the 14th century ( been centred on Cranston (or "Cranstoun"), in Midlothian
Midlothian
Midlothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy area. It borders the Scottish Borders, East Lothian and the City of Edinburgh council areas....
, and Denholm
Denholm
Denholm is a small village located between Jedburgh and Hawick in the Scottish Borders region of Scotland, UK. It lies in the valley of the River Teviot...
, in the Borders
Scottish Borders
The Scottish Borders is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It is bordered by Dumfries and Galloway in the west, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian in the north west, City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian to the north; and the non-metropolitan counties of Northumberland...
.
The last Cranstoun of Cranstoun - Sir John, who was still alive in June 1609 - left five daughters, of whom William married the second, Sarah. Their contract of marriage was dated December 1580.
Career
King James appointed Cranstoun to the position of Captain of the Horse Garrison, or King's Guard, under the Earl of DunbarGeorge Home, 1st Earl of Dunbar
George Home, 1st Earl of Dunbar, KG, PC was, in the last decade of his life, the most prominent and most influential Scotsman in England. His work lay in the King's Household and in the control of the State Affairs of Scotland and he was the King's chief Scottish advisor...
, Lieutenant of the Borders. In 1605 he was keeper of Lochmaben Castle
Lochmaben Castle
Lochmaben Castle is a ruined castle in the town of Lochmaben, Dumfries and Galloway. It was built by Edward I in the 13th and 14th centuries, and later rebuilt during the reign of James IV of Scotland. An earlier motte-and-bailey castle was built south of the current castle in c.1160 by the Bruce...
and a deputy-lieutenant of the Borders.
Cranstoun rapidly acquired a reputation for extreme ruthlessness. On one occasion, the inhabitants of Dumfries
Dumfries
Dumfries is a market town and former royal burgh within the Dumfries and Galloway council area of Scotland. It is near the mouth of the River Nith into the Solway Firth. Dumfries was the county town of the former county of Dumfriesshire. Dumfries is nicknamed Queen of the South...
conspired unsuccessfully to assassinate him and he more than once received blanket pardons or indemnities, holding him harmless in respect of prior atrocities. The summary approach adopted by Lord Dunbar and Cranstoun (hang first and try afterwards) became known as "Jeddart
Jedburgh
Jedburgh is a town and former royal burgh in the Scottish Borders and historically in Roxburghshire.-Location:Jedburgh lies on the Jed Water, a tributary of the River Teviot, it is only ten miles from the border with England and is dominated by the substantial ruins of Jedburgh Abbey...
Justice".
In 1608, Cranstoun represented the small barons of Roxburghshire
Roxburghshire
Roxburghshire or the County of Roxburgh is a registration county of Scotland. It borders Dumfries to the west, Selkirk to the north-west, and Berwick to the north. To the south-east it borders Cumbria and Northumberland in England.It was named after the Royal Burgh of Roxburgh...
in the Convention of Estates
Convention of Estates of Scotland
The Convention of Estates of Scotland sat between 16 March 1689 and 5 June 1689 to determine the settlement of the Scottish throne following the invasion of William, Prince of Orange...
. He was raised to the peerage, as Lord Cranstoun, by patent dated 19 November 1609. In 1611 he was promoted to succeed Lord Dunbar as Lieutenant of the Borders and was appointed to the Privy Council
Privy Council of Scotland
The Privy Council of Scotland was a body that advised the King.In the range of its functions the council was often more important than the Estates in the running the country. Its registers include a wide range of material on the political, administrative, economic and social affairs of Scotland...
.
Sir John Balfour Paul's The Scots Peerage records of him that:
- "He was a man of singular energy and fearlessness, and though his relentless rule on the Borders of necessity made him many enemies, yet his persistence therein brought back that region to a state of law and order such as it had not known for many years, and from which it never really again lapsed."
Cranstoun died in June 1627.
Family
With his wife, Cranstoun had at least seven children:- John Cranstoun, 2nd Lord CranstounJohn Cranstoun, 2nd Lord CranstounJohn Cranstoun, 2nd Lord Cranstoun was a Scottish Lord of Parliament.-Origins:Cranstoun was the son of William Cranstoun, 1st Lord Cranstoun, and Sarah Cranstoun, the daughter and co-heiress of Sir John Cranstoun...
(died in or before 1648) - James Cranstoun (died 1633), who married first Elizabeth Macgill and secondly Elizabeth Stewart, daughter of the Earl of BothwellFrancis Stewart, 5th Earl of BothwellFrancis Stewart, Earl Bothwell , was Commendator of Kelso Abbey and Coldingham Priory, a Privy Counsellor and Lord High Admiral of Scotland. Like his stepfather, Archibald Douglas, Parson of Douglas, he was a notorious conspirator, who died in disgrace...
, and was banished from the country in August 1610 - Henry Cranstoun (died after 1653), whowas a colonel of horse for Roxburghshire in 1644 and married Margaret Wauchope
- Thomas Cranstoun
- Agnes Cranstoun
- Elizabeth Cranstoun, who married John Edgar, Younger of Wedderlie
- Barbara (or Janet) Cranstoun, who married (contract 2 November 1615) John Seton of Touch.