Abercorn Castle (site of)

Abercorn Castle dated back to the 12th century however nothing of it now remains above ground.

The lands of Abercorn were originally held by the Avenel family but they passed to Sir Henry Graham of Dalkeith, along with the baronies of Kilbucho and Newlands in Peeblesshire and the barony of Eskdale in Dumfriesshire, who was married to the daughter and heiress of Roger Avenel, who died in 1243.

Their eldest son, Sir Nicholas Graham of Dalkeith, Abercorn and Eskdale, succeeded and following his death was succeeded by his eldest son Sir John de Graham of Dalkeith, Abercorn and Eskdale.

Sir John’s eldest son, also Sir John de Graham, was the last of Dalkeith, Abercorn and Eskdale. He resigned Dalkeith in favour of Sir William Douglas de Laudonia in 1341 and following his death was succeeded in Abercorn by his sister, Sybilla Graham, who was married to Sir Reginald de Mure, Lord Chamberlain of Scotland.

Around 1350 John de Graham, “lord of Torboltoun and of Roberestoun in Conyggam”, confirmed charters to his uncle, Henry de Graham, of “the lands of Menarstoun and of Philipstoun in the barony of Abyrcorn and of Blyth in the valley of Twed”. Henry had received the lands from his father, Sir John de Graham, who was the grandfather of John de Graham.

William de Mure, the son of Sybilla Graham and Sir Reginald de Mure, died without male issue and Abercorn passed to his daughter, Christina or Christian, who married Sir John Lindsay of the Byres and Abercorn passed into the Lindsay family.

In 1603 James VI granted the barony of Abercorn, which the John Lindsay, 8th Lord Lindsay of the Byres, had resigned to him, to James Hamilton, creating him the 1st Earl of Abercorn. Included in the grant were the lands of Alexander Drummond of Midhope.

In 1650 James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Abercorn, resigned the lands and barony of Abercorn to George Seton, 3rd Earl of Winton, and George’s son, Alexander Seton, was created Viscount Kingston by Charles I the following year. In December 1661 Viscount Kingston assigned the lands and barony of Abercorn to Walter Seton who paid the Viscount £3000 Sterling and received a charter of confirmation in January 1662.

Sir Walter Seton struggled to afford the upkeep of his estates and in 1678 sold the barony of Abercorn and the Sheriffdom of Linlithgow to John Hope of Hopetoun.