Alexander (Barclay) Barclay Vth of Mathers (abt. 1429 - abt. 1483)

Born about 1429 in Scotland

Ancestors

Descendants

Biography

Alexander de Berkeley was the first of the line to adopt Barclay as the family name. He was born the son of the notorious David de Berkeley and his wife Elizabeth Strachan.^[1]

It is not clear when he was granted title to the estates but it seems likely to have been about 1450 when he was quite old. His father, David, had built the Kaim of Mathers in 1424 and David was Laird in 1438 but it is not known how long he survived in his exile.^[2] It is also worth noting that the arms of de Berkeley may have been a chevron between three crosses pattee (rather than three crosses in chief) as these are noted reversed, as a mark of degradation, at the Kaim of Mathers. I have presumed that this Alexander de Berkeley changed both his name and his arms to remove the stain on the honour of the name incurred by his father.

He married Catherine Wishart, heiress of Pittarrow. She was likely the daughter of James Wishart. He died in 1483.^[3]

Research Notes

• http://www.thepeerage.com/p58527.htm#i585263 George Barclay was known as 5th of Mathers, maybe he was older and died young.

Sources

1. ↑ #S-1 Fraser; page 20
2. ↑ #S-2 Unknown; page vi
3. ↑ #S-1 Fraser; page 21

• Source S-1 Fraser; William Ruxton. History of the parish and burgh of Laurencekirk. Edinburgh: Blackwood, 1880. archive.org

• Source S-2 Not given. The Kaim of Mathers: An Historical Tale Respecting Barclay, Its Lairds... Montrose: Davidson, 1880. archive.org