Estate: Harbertshire

Harbertshire, Stirlingshire
c1412 - c1667

The Flemings held lands in the barony of Harbertshire, near Denny, from the early fifteenth century, first as vassals of the Sinclairs of Roslin. In 1600 the 1st Earl of Wigtown bought the whole barony.

Acquisition

Before 1413 Sir Malcolm Fleming had a charter of Castlerankine from his cousin Archibald, Earl of Douglas, for a pair of gilt spurs. For almost two centuries the Flemings held Castlerankine and neighbouring lands of the Sinclairs of Roslin, the barons of Harbertshire. John, 2nd Lord Fleming, had sasine of Easter and Wester Castlerankine, Easter Seymore, Thomastoun and Ballanknock in 1512, and a new charter of Castlerankine from Sir Oliver Sinclair in 1513 after paying 980 merks.

Estates within the barony

Castlerankine (Easter and Wester, with Lamblinns), Seymore, Ballankeir with its mill, Thomastoun, Ballanknock, Bankier, Brackenleys, Cowdounhill, Doups and, from 1634, Catscleugh, formerly part of Callendar.

The whole barony

Parts of the lands were often in pledge: to William Stirling of Keir in 1472, Hugh Douglas in 1538 and Thomas Marjoribanks in 1539. On 25 June 1600 Sir William Sinclair of Roslin disponed the whole barony of Harbertshire to John, 1st Earl of Wigtown, for fourteen thousand merks. The 1st Earl settled the Harbertshire lands on his son on his marriage in 1613, and John, 2nd Earl, had a royal charter of them in 1632, with Catscleugh added in 1634.

Disposal

John, 3rd Earl, corroborated a heritable bond on Harbertshire, Denny and Catscleugh in 1661 and resigned the baronies of Biggar and Harbertshire for regrant to his heir. By 1667 the Stirlings were styled “of Herbertshire” in their disputes with the 4th Earl, which suggests that the barony had passed to them, although no sale is recorded in the family papers. The family kept some rights: in 1847 an heir was served in the coal of Seymore, Castlerankine and Brackenleys.