The title Earl of Erroll is an ancient one in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1453 for Sir William Hay.

The subsidiary titles held by the Earl of Erroll are: Lord Hay (created 1449) and Lord Slains (1452), both in the Peerage of Scotland. The Earls of Erroll also hold the hereditary office of Lord High Constable of Scotland. The office was once associated with great power.

The Earl of Erroll is one of four peers entitled to appoint a private pursuivant, with the title "Slains".

William became 5th High Constable and was created Earl of Erroll and Lord of Slains by King James II of Scots (1437 - 1460) as a reward for Hay support during the King's war with the rebel 'Black' Douglas Lords and their allies the Lyndsays, Earls of Crawford and the MacDonalds, Lords of the Isles.

These rebel Lords were eventually defeated by the combined efforts of Alexander Gordon,1st Earl of Huntly in the North (ie the battle of Arbroath in 1446, Brechin in 1452 and Dunkinty in 1454) and by George the 'Red' Douglas 4th Earl of Angus in the south (ie battle of Arkinholm in 1455 and Lochmaben in 1458). Militarily the Gordons were allied to the Hays of Slains, while their kin the Hays of Yester castle in East Lothian were in league with the 'Red' Douglases. -------------------- Constable (d 1436) -------------------- http://our-royal-titled-noble-and-commoner-ancestors.com/p96.htm#i2883

Old Slains Castle :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Slains_Castle