Estate: Thankerton

Thankerton, Lanarkshire
c1360 - 1667

The barony of Thankerton, beside the River Clyde a few miles west of Biggar, was granted to Malcolm Fleming of Biggar by King David II. It was long held together with Biggar and was the subject of a bitter dispute with the Kennedys before it was finally sold in 1667.

Acquisition

Thankerton was among the lands that King David II (1329–1371) granted to Malcolm Fleming of Biggar, as recorded in 1388. The barony included Thankerton itself, with Muirhouse and the patronage of the church.

Alienated and recovered

On 10 February 1465 Robert, 1st Lord Fleming, granted the barony to his rival Gilbert, Lord Kennedy, to be held of the Lords Fleming. The grant was later held to be unlawful, and John, 2nd Lord Fleming, was restored to Thankerton on 16 March 1499. Charters and sasines of the baronies of Biggar and Thankerton followed in 1508–1516, and in 1545 the benefice of Thankerton was assigned to the new Collegiate Church of Biggar.

Jean Fleming’s claim

After the forfeiture of the 5th Lord Fleming, his niece Jean Fleming and her husband John Maitland of Thirlestane received the baronies of Thankerton and Biggar in 1583, and Maitland granted Thankerton to their daughter Anna in 1592. The Flemings recovered it, and a decreet arbitral of 17 December 1630 found that John, 2nd Earl of Wigtown, owned the baronies of Lenzie and Thankerton. In 1617 the parish of Thankerton was united with Biggar.

Disposal

John, 4th Earl of Wigtown, resigned the barony with the advowson of the church on 13 February 1666 and sold it to Sir William Purves of Woodhouselee on 13 February 1667.