William Stirling (abt. 1260 - abt. 1310)

Born about 1260 in Scotland

Descendants

Died about 1310 at about age 50 in Scotland

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Biography

William Stirling is a member of Clan Stirling.

On 17 Oct 1282 he is seen, as "Willelmi de Striveling fratris" (William of Stirling, brother, to John as he appears immediately before him).^[1] in a Charter of Cambuskenneth Abbey as a Sealer to a quitclaim by William of Kinmonth. ^[2] He appears alongside his brother, "dominii Johannis de Striueling" (Lord John of Stirling). This charter is important for the resolution between different lines of Stirling and of interest, on the same Charter, was "Richardo de Kaledar, tunc constabulario de Striueling" (Richard of Calder, constable of Stirling), ^[3] "Patricii de Graym vicecomitas de Striueling" (Sir Patrick Graham, sheriff of Stirling). ^[4]

At some time, dated to between 1264 and 1292, likely bias towards the latter, he appears, as William of Stirling, knight, in a charter to Newbattle Abbey where Reginald le Chen, knight, lord of ‘Strabroc’ (Uphall, West Lothian), has given, granted, and by this his present charter established, to Newbattle Abbey free transit of a suitable and sufficient way to their easements by his land and barony of ‘Strabroc’,. ^[5]

On 2 July 1293 he appears as witness to a chater of William de Gourlay, son and heir of the late William de Gourlay to the Newbattle Abbey.^[6]

In 1296, he is noticed, as William de Striuelyn, knight, as paying homage to Edward I, at Berwick.^[7] He appears amongst the nobility of Roxburghshire but is stated to have been of Wigtonshire. His seal "A shield of arms : On a chief three buckles. The shield, which hangs from a tree, is supported by two small lions rampant. The whole within a cusped trefoil panel, in the upper corners of which are the letters [w.s.’ (the letter horizontal)]" is still extant.

On 8 October 1302 he appears, as Lord William of Stirling at the court of Linlithgow.^[8] The implication of this suggests that his brother, John, had died by this point and William was now Lord.

Armorial

In The sigillography of the Ragman Roll by McAndrew^[9] there are a number of Seals noted. McAndrew states that Seals 75301, 3060, 3398, 3426 On a chief, three buckles appear to be identical, and belong to RR24, RR411 Sir John de Strivelyn of Cars (his brother), STR. Detached seal 3073 bearing Six stars of six points (3,2,1) belongs to his namesake RR63, RR177 Sir John de Strivelyn of Moray. SHS conflates the two men, but on what grounds is unclear. The buckles in chief are also carried on seal 3045, possibly by RR1065 - William de Strivelyn WIG. Disappointingly both seals (3402 & 3612) of Alisaundre de Strivelyn of LAN have been defaced. The arms are painted Argent, on a chief Sable, three buckles Or in the two large general rolls of the 1290s ( LM511, Q327) for Sir John de Strivelyn. These arms appears on this page.

Sources

Footnotes:

1. ↑ People of Medieval Scotland William of Stirling, knight
2. ↑ Registrum Monasterii S. Marie de Cambuskenneth Charter no 49 available in English at People of Medieval Scotland, Document 3/319/1 (Camb. Reg., no. 49)
3. ↑ People of Medieval Scotland Richard of Calder, constable of Stirling
4. ↑ People of Medieval Scotland Patrick Graham, knight (d.1296)
5. ↑ Newbattle Registrum, no. 202 noticed on People of Medieval Scotland as Document 3/141/2 (Newb. Reg., no. 202)
6. ↑ Newbattle Registrum, no. 219 noticed at People of Medieval Scotland as Document 3/252/2 (Newb. Reg., no. 219)
7. ↑ Various sources, this one at people of Medieval Scotland Document 6/2/0 (IP, 146-7) citing Instrumenta Publica, pp. 146-7
8. ↑ Description of Linlithgow burgh court proceedings (8 Oct. 1302) noticed at People of Medieval Scotland as Document 4/37/7 (Stevenson, Docs., ii, no. 582a)
9. ↑ The sigillography of the Ragman Roll; McAndrew available in pdf at this location

Publications:

• Registrum Monasterii S. Marie de Cambuskenneth, A. D. 1147-1535, available on archive.org

• People of Medieval Scotland - William of Stirling, knight

• The sigillography of the Ragman Roll by McAndrew; available in pdf at this location

• He appears on thepeerage.com as William Stirling. However care is required. He is not known to have lived at Ochiltree and he was of the line of Lord Stirling of Alva and brother to Sir John Stirling of the Carse and Alva, Lord at the time of the Homage Rolls.