Nisbet of East Nisbet also called Allanbank connect Line of Nisbet of East Nisbet, Branch, Nisbet Name Study Chirnside It is said there was built two fortified houses or pele towers in the 12th century, one at East Nisbet and the other on West Nisbet. The Scottish lords built them in the 13th centuries sometimes accompanied by a moderate enclosed bailey, but many of the towers stood on their own, and were 3-4 stories tall. The top usually the residential quarters, and the lower levels used by military and household support staff. An Act of Parliament in 1455, specified that each tower-house along the border had to have an iron basket on the roof for signal fires to warn of an invasion or raid. These Tower-houses hosting signal fires are also known as peel or pele towers.
Sometime after that a castle must have been built or added to the tower. We do know there was a castle on East Nisbet, as it is shown on the map in 1654 and a substantial, but smaller building on West Nisbet.
|
| East Nisbet West Nisbet Mungowalls. |
The location of the East Nisbet Castle can be clearly seen in the "Blaeu Atlas of Scotland, 1654." labeled E. Nifbeth Caft. . It appears that "Nisbet of East Nisbet" is many diverse families, and none are proven to be actual Nisbet familes just designation "of Nisbet".
It has been claimed that Alexander Chirnsyde had married before 1479 Elizabeth Nisbet, and probably acquired East Nisbet with her, but so far no documentation has been found. This seems to have maybe been speculation, as only 20 years after the claimed marriage, the two families, were anything but friends.
We do know at that time, Nisbet of that Ilk was living in Mungoswalls and they had West Nisbet. There was a blood feud between them, and the Chirnsides, that were then of East Nisbet. In 1499, Ninian Chirnside of East Nisbet, along with Andrew Blackader of that Ilk, participated in the cruel slaughter of John and Philip Nisbet of the family of that Ilk, and plundered their goods.[1] They were given remission and of the escheat of all goods movable and unmoveable lands (Remission is the lessening of a penalty without forgiveness for the crime; the beneficiary is still considered guilty of the offense Remission from the crown remained conditional on satisfying the just demands of the kin of the deceased for compensation)—
Ninian Chirnside of East Nisbet spyed for England during the 1540s [2]no doubt the reason the Castle was spared in 1514 raids[3]English Forces in September 1545. From a Manuscript in Trinity College Library, Dublin
1544 Sir Ralph Evre's letters, 7 Aug.—Sir Ralph with the garrisons of the Middle Marches, Tindale and Riddesdale, 1,400 men, burnt Bon Jedworth, Angram Spitle, Est Nesbet and West Nesbet, and won divers strong castle houses, and slew all the Scottish men in them to the number of 80, &c. [4]
Contents |
Earls of Dunbar
1248 Patrick, earl of Dunbar, son of Earl Patrick, has restored the wardship of East Nisbet (BWK) to Durham Cathedral Priory with the marriage of the heir of that _villa_ as their right forever. Neither he nor his heirs may in future pursue any right or claim to the wardship and marriage. He reserves fully to himself and his heirs everything which he and his predecessors were vest and seised with regard to the _villa_, providing however that the heirs of the _villa_ are not disparaged. [5] Note. Wardship roots in the feudalism. If a lord's tenant died before his heir reached the age of majority, the lord would receive custody of the lands held by the tenant and the right to arrange the heir's marriage. The lord would enjoy the profits of the estate for as long as the heir remained his ward: until the age of 21, if the ward was male, or until the age of 16, if the ward was female.
Chirnsyde Family
from about 1479-1652 [6]
- Alexander Chirnsyde is claimed not documented to have married before 1479 Elizabeth Nisbet, and probably acquired East Nisbet with her;
- Ninian of East Nisbet 1530;
- 27 March 1544 #253. Lord Eure to Hertford. Sends a Scot's letter to Hertford received from Rynyan Chirnesyde, laird of Este Nesbet, who dwells within 8 miles of Berwick. Berwick, 27 March. Signed. [8]
- William of East Nisbet 1567 testament 1581;[9]
- Sir Patrick, in November 1615, carried off from Haddington Adam French of Thornydikes, a boy of fourteen, confined him at East Nisbet, carried him to Berwick, and there married him to his own daughter Jean. For this he was prosecuted, but the youthful bridegroom having declared that he went of his own free will, the matter was allowed to drop. testament 1627 [10]
- Alexander of East Nisbet, son of Sir Patrick, was dead before 1643, leaving Alexander, who d.s.p., and
- Captain David, who, in 1652, was served heir in West Whitsomelaws ;
Home Family
In August 1490 a charter is granted by George Hume to his beloved son and heir apparent David Hume and his spouse Elizabeth Pringill in conjunct fee
In 1506, at Holyrood Palace, David Hume of Wedderburn received from the King, James IV., a charter of his lands of Polwarth, in favour of himself and his wife Isabella Hoppringill in conjunct fee, and their lawful heirs (Great Seal).
In 1513 David was slain at Flodden.
1517/18 It was reported that the castle of East Nisbet had fallen to George Home and that Blackadder Castle was threatened., [11]
In 1531 the King, James V., granted David's widow the lands of Broomdykes and ·the Main quarter of East Nisbet, apprised by her, and redeemable within seven years (Great Seal). According to Hume of Godscroft, the historian (her great grandson), Elizabeth (Isabella) died in December 1545, "having been for 32 years a widow, esteemed and honoured by all."
Stewart Family
- Sir Robert Stewart, 1st Baronet of Allanbank, was the seventh son of Sir James Stewart of Kirkfield and Coltness and was bap. at Edinburgh, on 13 April 1643. He was admitted to Burgess of Edinburgh in right of his father on 26 June 1691,[1], purchased the lands of Allanbank , in the sheriffdom of Berwick and was created a Baronet on 15 August 1687 with remainder to his heirs male whatsoever. He d. in March 1707[2] having m. firstly, at Edinburgh, on 27 January 1682, to Jean, youngest child of Sir John Gilmour, 1st of Craigmillar,[3] (c/m 27 January 1682[4]), by whom he was father of,
Cranston Family
1641 upon the resignation of John [Cranston], lord Cranston, with consent of Dame Helen Lindsay, lady Cranston, his spouse
Leslie Family
[1641/8/293] Ratification in favour of General [Alexander] Leslie, earl of Leven Our sovereign lord and estates of parliament ratify and approve the charter made, given and granted by our sovereign lord the king's majesty, with advice and consent of his highness's treasurers, comptrollers, collectors principal and depute nominated therein for the time, and other lords of his highness's exchequer of Scotland, his highness's commissioners, to his highness's beloved Sir Alexander Leslie, now of Balgonie, knight, then general major in the Nether Saxony, and Dame Agnes Renton, his spouse, the longest liver of the two, in liferent for all the days of their lifetimes, and to Colonel Alexander Leslie, now fiar of Balgonie, their eldest lawful son, in fee, his heirs and assignees contained therein heritably, of all and whole the lands of East Nisbet, mill, mill lands, astricted multures and sequels thereof, comprehending the particular towns, lands and others mentioned therein, with the tower, fortalice, manor place, houses, buildings, yards, orchards, mills, multures, tofts, crofts, outsets, insets, parts, pendicles and pertinents thereof, lying within the sheriffdom of Berwick, upon the resignation of John [Cranston], lord Cranston, with consent of Dame Helen Lindsay, lady Cranston, his spouse
Diverse East Nisbet
- 1674 The East Nisbet Conventicle. John Blackadder`s account. ( [12] But more remarkable and more beautiful than the ordinary conventicle was a Communion in the fields. John Blackader will describe to us one of these, which he, in company with ” Mr. Welsh and Mr. Riddell,” superintended and enjoyed at East Nisbet in the Border country. After relating what means were adopted to shield from interruption and alarm those whose rendezvous, however fit it might be, was “by the lions’ dens and the mountains of leopards,” he goes on with his tale‑
- Servitor' seems to have been a rather nondescript title for a manservant, as Ninian Chirnside of Whitsomelaws was a servitor to the earl of Bothwell, yet he employed a servitor of his own called Nisbet. There must have therefore been a social scale for servitors, with lairds and their well-educated sons at the top as secretaries and stewards and non-landed people at the bottom performing menial tasks.[13]
Sources
- ↑ 1499 Aug 18 remission to Andrew Blackader of that Ilk and Ninian Nisbet. For the FORTHOCHT Felony done by them upon Philip Nesbit of Wester Nesbit and John his brother, Patrick Nesbit in Mongois Wall &c.: and for the cruel slaughter of umqle the said John Nesbit, and Philip Nesbit in Mongois Wall, upon forthocht felony committed and for the SPULZEING of their goods &c.: and of all crimes that in anyway may be put to them for committing the said slaughter and forthocht felony and of the GIFT to the said Andro and Niniine and their heirs of the escheat of all goods movable and unmoveable lands &c. Criminal Trials in Scotland by Robert Pitcairn Esq vol I 1499 p 100 appendix
- ↑ Lairds and Gentlemen: A study of the Landed Families of the Eastern Anglo-Scottish Borders ca 1540-1603 by Maureen Manuel Meikle PH. D. University of Edinburgh Nov 1988
- ↑ A contemporary account of the Earl of Hertford's second expedition to Scotland, and of the Ravages committed by the
- ↑ Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII, Volume 19 Part 2, August-December 1544. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1905. 625. Raids in Scotland. Hatfield MS. 137, No. 108. [Cal. Of Cecil MSS. Pt. I., 180.] Haynes' St. Papers, 43.
- ↑ Firm date 1248 X 24 August 1289 DCM, Misc. Ch. 776 Charters of Durham
- ↑ Scottish Arms" Being a Collection of Armorial Bearings A.D. 1370-1678 Reproduced in Facsimile from Contemporary Manuscripts with Heraldic and Genealogical Notes By R. R. Stodart. Volume Second. 1881
- ↑ Lairds and Gentlemen: A study of the Landed Families of the Eastern Anglo-Scottish Borders ca 1540-1603 by Maureen Manuel Meikle PH. D. University of Edinburgh Nov 1988
- ↑ Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII, Volume 19 Part 1, January-July 1544. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1903 Hatfield MS. 231, No. 42. [Cal. of Cecil MSS. Pt. i., 128.]Haynes,St. Papers, 22.
- ↑ Chyrnesyd Williame 3/5/1581 of East Nisbet Testament Dative and Inventory Edinburgh Commissary Court CC8/8/9
- ↑ Chirnesyde Patrike 27/8/1627 Sir, of East Nisbet, knight Testament Dative and Inventory Edinburgh Commissary Court CC8/8/54
- ↑ Treasurers Accounts V pp 117-8? (ref given The Douglas Earls of Angus: A Study in the Social and Political Bases of Power of a Scottish Family from 1389 until 1557 ) Michael Garhart Kelley
- ↑ quoted in Men of the Covenant, Alexander Smellie, vol I p 260-2
- ↑ Lairds and Gentlemen: A study of the Landed Families of the Eastern Anglo-Scottish Borders ca 1540-1603 by Maureen Manuel Meikle PH. D. University of Edinburgh Nov 1988