Baron of Gilmerton

The earliest records about Gilmerton date back to the late 12th century during the reign of King David I. Around 1170, Ranulf de Soules - who was the king's butler - granted a ploughgate of land in Gilmerton to Newbattle Abbey. Around the same time, an aed of Gilmerton witnessed a charter.^[1][2]

In around 1210, Fulk de Soules, Nicholas de Soules' father, gave a new ploughgate and 5 acres of land in Gilmerton in exchange for land previously granted by his uncle Ranulf.^[3]

During the Wars of Scottish Independence in February 1302, an English army of 10,000 men led by Sir Robert Neville camped at Gilmerton Grange before the Battle of Roslin. At the battle, the English forces were routed by a Scottish army commanded by John Comyn and Simon Fraser.

After taking the throne, King Robert the Bruce granted a charter for the lands of Gilmerton to Murdoch Menteith. These lands had previously been held by William de Soules.^[4] de Soules had been the hereditary Butler of Scotland but as a cousin of the Earls of Buchan, he had opposed Robert the Bruce's claim to the throne. Once Bruce gained power, de Soules was found to be a traitor for supporting the English and supposedly plotting to kill the king. He was subsequently imprisoned for life in 1320.^[5]

After Robert the Bruce gained control of the throne, the lands of Gilmerton came under the possession of the crown. They were then held by a succession of "King's Tenants".

In the early 14th century, part of the Gilmerton lands were held on behalf of the king by the Herring family. Sir John Herring was the first of this family to hold the lands. In 1380, there was a charter of confirmation for Patrick Herring, Lord of Edmonston, regarding the lands of Gilmerton. His grandson, Sir Gilbert Herring of Gilmerton, held the lands in 1476. However, Gilbert was forced to sell many of his estates, including parts of Gilmerton, to William Ramsay in order to pay off debts.^[6]

The Ramsay family then took possession of these lands sold to them by Gilbert Herring. In 1545, James Ramsay, son and heir of James Ramsay of Whitehill, was named heir to his father's part of the Gilmerton lands.^[7]

Some of the Gilmerton lands were also held from at least 1477 by the Somerville family. In that year, William, Master of Somerville (son and heir of William, 2nd Lord Somerville) was confirmed in his lands of Gilmerton.^[8] Lord Somerville had been involved in the 1466 abduction of King James III in an attempt by some nobles to seize power, but it seems he was later forgiven.

By 1491, Gilbert Herring's son Patrick Herring of Gilmerton had succeeded to the remaining family lands, including the parts of Gilmerton still held by the Herring family.^[9]

In 1502, King James IV raised an action against the holders of the neighboring lands of Drum, Gilmerton, and Gutters to acknowledge him as their feudal superior. He won the case, requiring Sir John Somerville, James Ramsay, and Patrick Herring - who collectively held these lands - to pay the large sum of 80 merks per year to the king, as well as 60 years of back payments owed to him and his predecessors.

In 1503, both Patrick Herring and Sir John Somerville of Cambusnethan were confirmed in their parts of the Gilmerton lands.^[10] Sir John Somerville of Cambusnethan was known as 'Red Bag' and took part in a bloody 1520 skirmish in Edinburgh streets between the Hamilton and Douglas families vying for influence over King James V. For his involvement, Red Bag was stripped of his lands, which passed to his nephew Hugh.

Hugh Somerville became the 5th Lord Somerville in 1523. The Somervilles continued holding parts of Gilmerton into the 17th century, when in 1644 Hugh Somerville passed the lands to his son James.^[11][12]

In 1573, there was a contract between Lord Ross of Melville and his wife Jean Sempill involving John Herring of Gilmerton and his colliers working the coal on their land, though John Herring's precise role is uncertain.

In 1590, a John Herring of Gilmerton who may have been the same man was named as a rebel against the king, with the punishment decreed as "fire and sword with all rigour and extremity".^[13] The offence is unknown but the punishment implies a severe crime. This may be the origin of the "Heron" story later recorded by Sir Walter Scott. After this point, the Herrings are no longer mentioned in the records regarding Gilmerton.

During the 16th century, there were many tenants and sub-tenants renting parts of the Gilmerton lands. In 1516, James, Archbishop of Glasgow was granted a portion of the Gilmerton lands.^[14] Then in 1522, James Levingstoun of Gervasewood held one and a half husbandlands and a cotland in Gilmerton, renting these from John Somerville of Cambusnethan.^[15]

In 1547, during the Rough Wooing invasions by King Henry VIII's armies of England, Gilmerton House was destroyed. It was rebuilt soon after, but its owners did not regularly occupy it in subsequent centuries, preferring to live elsewhere and lease the house out to tenants.

After the offense committed by John Herring of Gilmerton in 1590, it seems his family's Gilmerton lands were divided up and granted to others. Sir James Sandilands of Slammannane and Ludovic, Duke of Lennox received parts of the Herring lands.^[16] Shortly after, Andrew Edmondston received the Gilmerton lands formerly held by Sir James Sandilands of Slammannomure.^[17]

In 1602, Hugo Somerville appears to have sold his portion of the Gilmerton lands to John Preston of Fentonbarns, a senator of the College of Justice.^[18] Preston then passed these lands to David McCulloch in 1622.^[19]

Before the changes in tenancy and ownership in the 1600s, the Creightons of Brunstane had taken ownership of some portion of the Gilmerton lands. Whether they received the lands from another landowner or directly from the Crown is uncertain. In 1507, there was a Retour in favour of John Crichton as heir to Edward Crichton of Brunstane in the lands of Gilmerton and others.^[20]

John's descendant David Creighton of Lugton appears to have received the part of Gilmerton that had previously belonged to the Ramsays in 1600.^[21] In 1609, Lugton inherited the old Creighton family lands of Gilmerton from his father Patrick Creighton of Cranston Riddell. From this point on, he likely held the largest portion of the Gilmerton lands.

David was a prominent public figure. In 1621 he was appointed commissioner to Parliament for Edinburgh. He was also ratified in the lands of Gilmerton among others in 1646.^[22]

In 1661, eight people from Gilmerton were put on trial for witchcraft during the Great Scottish Witch Hunt. Over 600 people were tried as witches across Scotland that year.^[23] This reflects the superstitious era and increased witch trials that took place in the 1600s.

In 1667, John Baird, Lord Newbyth and a Lord of Session, purchased the lands of Gilmerton from David Creighton of Lugton and also acquired the neighboring lands at Newbattle and Todhills. On 9 August 1667 he got a charter from the King that erected and granted him the Barony of Gilmerton.^[24]

Lord Newbyth married Margaret, daughter of the Earl of Tweeddale. Their son Sir William Baird became a member of the Scottish Parliament. In 1680, he was sent to London on business where King Charles II knighted him as a baronet. He married Margaret, daughter of Sir John Gilmour of Craigmillar, Lord President of the Court of Session, and they had two sons.

The eldest son, Sir John, succeeded to his father's lands and titles but died childless in 1745. His younger brother Alexander also predeceased him childless.^[25] The lands and titles then passed to a cousin, William Baird, who was Lord Provost of Edinburgh.

William was succeeded by his second son Robert Baird in 1769, who became an MP. Two of Robert's brothers joined the army and rose to prominence - Major-General Joseph Baird and General Sir David Baird, the hero of Seringapatam. Upon his death in 1828, General Sir David Baird's baronetcy passed to his nephew David, who had already inherited his father's Newbyth estates.

In 1817, the Barony of Gilmerton was valued at £1000, including £455 for Grange and South farms.^[26] Over subsequent generations, the Baird family owned the Gilmerton and Newbyth estates, with some men distinguished in the military or golf. The Barony of Gilmerton passed through the Baird family until 1930 when it became dormant.

• John Baird, Lord Newbyth, 1st Baron of Gilmerton (1667–1698)
• Sir John Baird, 2nd Bt., 2nd Baron of Gilmerton (1698–1745)
• William Baird, 3rd Baron of Gilmerton (1745–1769)
• Robert Baird, 4th Baron of Gilmerton (1769–1828)
• Sir David Baird, 2nd Bt., 5th Baron of Gilmerton (1828–1852)
• Sir David Baird, 3rd Bt., 6th Baron of Gilmerton (1852–1913)
• Sir David Baird, 4th Bt., 7th Baron of Gilmerton (1913–1930)
• dormant (1930–2020)