Sir William Bruce of Earlshall

SIR WILLIAM BRUCE OF EARLSHALL

Sir William Bruce of Earlshall, here treated, is the son and heir of Sir Alexander Bruce of Birgham and Earlshall RMS 1424-1513: charter number 2889

Marriage

Sir William Bruce of Earlshall, here treated, married Margaret Meldrum She is noticed as his wife on 6 February 1534. RMS 1513-46: charter number 2086

Evidence from the National Records of Scotland

                   1

13 November 1504: REX concessit WILLELMO BRUCE, filio et heredi quondam Alex. Bruce de Erlisball militis, et heredibus ejus,— cum consensu Jonete Stewart sponse dicti Alex., — terras de Drumlotho, vic. Fyfe ; — quas Alex. Lambe civis S. Andree resignavit in favorem dictorum Alex. Bruce et Jonete Stewart 2 Mar. 1504 —et ante confectionem infeofamenti dictus Alex. Bruce diem clausit extremum. RMS 1424-1513: charter number 2889

                   2

26 October 1506: A letter made to JONET STEWART, spouse of the deceased Sir Alexander Bruce of Earlshall, and Edward Bruce of Kynnard, of the gift of the ward etc. of the deceased Sir Alexander Bruce of Earlshall, and the marriage of his heir, William Bruce, and, in the event that he dies without having married, the marriage of any other heirs. RSS 1488-1529: number 1347

                   3

1519:

Exchequer Rolls 1513-22: 610

                  4

6 February 1534: Charter by which Jacobi Skrymgeor, contable of Dundee and lord of Dudhope, confirms that he has sold the town and lands of Wallace-cragy, in the lordship of Dudhope, barony of Dundee and sheriffdom of Forfar, to WILLELMO BRUCE of Erlishall and his wife Margarete Meldrum. The land in question is to be held by Willelmo and Margaret and their lawful male heirs in conjunct fee and liferent, who failing by Willelmo's nearest heir whatsoever. This charter was confirmed under the Great Seal of Scotland on 19 February 1539-40. RMS 1513-46: charter number 2086

                   5

12 August 1539: Charter by which James IV, King of Scots, confirms possession of the Mains of Langbirgam, together with a salmon fishing in the water of Tweed, in the sheriffdom of Berwick, to WILLELMO BRUCE of Erlishall and his wife MARGARE MELDRUM. The land in question had previously been resigned by Willelmo in order to obtain a new grant in favour of himself and his wife, and their lawful male heirs, who failing by Willelmo's nearest lawful heirs whatsoever. They were to hold in conjunct fee and liferent. RMS 1513-46: charter number 2007

                   6

18 February 1572-73: Instrument of Sasine under the hand of Andrew Greif, clerk of St Andrews diocese, notary public, narrating the Sasine given to Robert Bruce of Wallace-Cragy and Jonet Dundas, his spouse, and the survivor of them in conjunct fee, of the third part of the lands of Brodland, in the barony of Lucheris-Bruce and sheriffdom of Fiff, in warrandice of the lands of Wallace-Cragy. On Precept (addressed to Alexander Cowy in Straithila) contained in Charter granted them by William Bruce of Erlishall, Kt, father of said Robert. National Records of Scotland, Register House charters, 1st series, reference RH6/2268

Evidence from Scrymgeour Family Documents

11 February 1537: Precept direct be William Mauld of Panmure for infefting of Peter Bruce, appeirand air to William Bruce of Erlishall, and Agnes Scrymgeour, his spous, in the half landis of Balrudrie, daitit the xj februar 1537. Scrymgeour Documents: number 9

Printed Evidence

1. Registrum Magni Sigilli Regum Scotorum. The Register of the Great Seal of Scotland, A.D. 1424-1513. Edited by James Balfour Paul, FSA. Scot. (H. M. General Register House, Edinburgh, 1882), 1153 pp. including indices and errata
2. Rotuli Scaccarii Regum Scotorum. The Exchequer Rolls of Scotland. Vol. XIV. 1513-1522. Edited by A. J. G. Mackay, MA. Oxon., LL.D. Edin., Honorary Fellow of King's College, London; Sheriff of Perth and Kinross. (H. M. General Register House, Edinburgh, 1893), 836 pp. including index and corrigenda
3. Registrum Magni Sigilli Regum Scotorum. The Register of the Great Seal of Scotland, A.D. 1513-1546. Edited by James Balfour Paul, FSA. Scot., and John Maitland Thomson, MA., Advocates. (H. M. General Register House, Edinburgh, 1883), 1067 pp. including indices and errata
4. Registrum Secreti Sigilli Regum Scotorum. The register of the Privy seal of Scotland. Vol I. A. D. 1488-1529. Edited by M. Livingstone, ISO., Late Deputy-Keeper of the Records of Scotland (H. M. General Register House, Edinburgh, 1908), 824 pp. including indices
5. Inventory of Documents Relating to the Scrymgeour Family Estates, 1611. Edited by J. Maitland Thomson, LL.D. (Scottish Record Society, Edinburgh, 1912), 70 pp. including indices

Earlshall Castle

Earlshall Castle is situated close to the Royal Air Force base at Leuchars in Fife on the north-east coast of Scotland. It is currently lived in and the museum section is open to the public. The origin of the name could date back to the Earls of Fife. Earlshall is slightly different from the standard L-plan tower house since it has an oval tower on one of the external angles and a stair tower in the re-entrant angle. Also wall and range form a courtyard with the main block. Construction began in 1546 by Sir William Bruce and was completed by his great-grandson of the same name in 1617. However the castle fell into disrepair and was rescued in 1891 when Sir Robert Lorimer started the restoration. His work included the addition of a gatehouse and some unusual topiary gardens which include chessmen. Lorimer also restored the 16th-century painted ceiling in the Long Gallery which depicts subjects from heraldry, history and zoology. Wikipedia: Earlshall Castle