 |
A History of Abercorn
The parish of Abercorn (or Aebercurnig) is mentioned by
the Venerable Bede as early as 696 AD., being the site of a
monastery and residence of a Bishop. An excavation close to the
church in 1963 revealed evidence of the monastery.
Here stood
most probably the monastery of Aebbercurnig or Eoriercorn, founded
about 675 under St Wilfrid as a central point for the
administration of the northern part of his diocese, which included
the province of the Picts, held in subjection by the Angles of
Northumbria. Trumuini made this monastery the seat of his
bishopric, the earliest in Scotland, from 681 to 685, when the
Picts' victory at Dunnichen forced him to flee to Whitby (Skene,
Celt. Scot., i. 262-268, and ii. 224). And here still
stands the ancient parish church, refitted in 1579, and thoroughly
repaired in 1838, with a Norman doorway turned into a window, a
broken cross, and a stone coffin lid, but minus a carved pew-back
that found its way to the Edinburgh Antiquarian Museum in 1876.
The Medieval parish church at Abercorn
was founded in the 11th century, echoing it's once great importance, and
is
in a small part 12th Century Norman, although it is mostly
post-Reformation and was refurbished in 1893. A small museum in
the kirkyard preserves the remains of an 8th century stone cross.
The Manor of Abercorn once belonged to the House of Avenel in the
reign of King David I (1124-1153). By 1160, the parish became part
of the Barony of Aberlady. By then there was a
castle and it passed to the Graemes and then, following the death
of John the Graeme at Falkirk (1298), to the 'Black' Douglases.
The
Anglo-Norman knight, Sir William de Graham, ancestor of the Dukes of Montrose,
received from David I. (1124-53) the lands of Abercorn, which came by marriage
to Sir Reginald Mure, chamberlain of Scotland in 1329. In 1454 the Castle was
taken by James II. from the ninth and last Earl of Donglas, and its only vestige
is a low green mound, fronting the church and manse: whereas Midhope Tower,
bearing a coronet and the initials J. L[ivingstone], stands almost perfect.
There still remains a fine 12th-century south door with
chevron stonework; and ferociously imitative west door 1893 with grimacing
gargoyles. Two-storeyed Hopetoun Aisle harled with stone dressings, designed by
Sir William Bruce, complete with pyramid roof. The Hopetoun Loft occupies
the chancel, facing down the Kirk: magnificent panelling and fretwork scheme by
Alexander Eizat, armorial achievement painted by Richard Waitt. Adjacent
Hopetoun Aisle has wonderfully panelled retiring room above burial enclosure.
The Church was later altered by Peter MacGregor Chalmers, 1893, and the width of
the nave and choir probably original.
The parish contains
also the hamlets of Philipston, 2½ miles SW of Abercorn village, and Society, on
the coast, 1¼ mile E by N. It is bounded N for 3¾ miles by the Firth of Forth
(here 2½ miles wide), E by Dalmeny, SE by Kirkliston, S by the Auldcathie
portion of Dalmeny and by Ecclesmachan, SW by Linlithgow, and W by Carriden,
from which it is parted by the Black Burn.
The castle of Abercorn was besieged and destroyed by King James II (1430-60)
in 1455, never to be fully rebuilt afterwards. In the 16th century the crown
bestowed Abercorn on Claud Hamilton, who's marriage to the
daughter of George 7th Lord Seton was celebrated at the nearby
castle of Niddry. Despite being
forfeited because the Hamiltons had remained loyal to Mary, Queen
of Scots (1542-87), the estate was restored to them by King James VI (1566
- 1625), who created Claud Hamilton the 1st Baron Paisley and his son the
1st Earl of Abercorn.
The Barony of Abercorn, like that of Gargunnock, was sometime in
the interest of Sir Ninian Seton 3rd baron of Touch
and his grandson, James Seton 5th baron of Touch. The line of the Seton’s of Abercorn,
then, was
established by Sir Alexander Seton of Gargunnock, Lord Kilcreuch,
who was the second son of James Seton of Touch from his
second wife, Eline-Jane Edmonstone, daughter of Edmonstone of that
Ilk and Ednam, County Roxburgh, who were descended from the early
Seton’s.
Sir Alexander Seton of Gargunnock acquired that estate near the family
lands of Touch, both in Stirlingshire, before he acquired
the barony and estate of Culcreuch in addition, in 1624. The
Culcreuch acquisition was in settlement of monies owed him by his
brother-in-law, Robert Galbraith, 17th Chief of that Clan who was
forced to flee to Ireland, bankrupt, to escape his debts. Later
the same year, Sir Alexander, noted for being “a man of
parts and learning”, was appointed a judge and admitted an
ordinary Lord of Session, on the 4th of February, 1626,
and took the title Lord Kilcreuch. Soon his successful career
necessitated the selling of Culcreuch to be nearer
Edinburgh and in 1632, 8 years after purchasing it, he sold Culcreuch to Robert Napier.
Sir Alexander was twice married: first on the
30th of August, 1598, to Marion Maule of Glaster by
whom he had a son and heir called Alexander, and second; to the
daughter of the 16th Chief of Galbraith. Sir Alexander
had several children and kept an exceptional house, noted
for it’s order and high standard of education. As a man of
unscrupulous honesty in a very unscrupulous age, as well as for
his unswerving loyalty and service to the Crown, Alexander was
Knighted by King Charles I at Holyrood on the 12 of July, 1633.
And finally, on account of his infirmity of sight and many years
of service, he resigned his seat on the Bench, with it’s honor and
emoluments, on the 6th of June, 1637.
The village and estate was later acquired by Royal Charter by
Alexander's grandson, Sir Walter Seton, 1st Baronet of
Abercorn an Officer of the Revenue Service under King Charles II,
in 1662.
In 1678, Abercorn was sold to John
Hope, whose widow Margaret, and son Charles (later the 1st Earl
of Hopetoun), in 1699 began the construction of Hopetoun House,
just to the east of the village.
The castellated mansion of Hopetoun enjoys a commanding prospect, having on
one side the blue sea, and on the other green fields, with the Pentland Hills in
the background. The soil in this quarter is variable but fertile: the substratum
is still more changeable, consisting of patches of till, gravel, sand,
limestone, and sandstone. So early as the 17th century wheat was grown, rents
being paid in considerable part by this commodity. What draining was required
was mainly accomplished before 1800, and a large extent of land was planted and
ornamented with clumps and belts of trees ' (Trans. Highl. and Ag. Soc.,
1877). To this need only be added that sandstone, whinstone, and limestone are
extensively worked, but that a small colliery is now disused.
There have been titularly connected with this parish Sir Bruce Maxwell Seton
of Abercorn, eighth baronet since 1663, and the Duke's of Abercorn, eldest
surviving male heir of the Hamilton line, who takes from it his title of Baron
(1603) and Earl (1606) in the peerage of Scotland, of Marques (1790) in that of
Great Britain, and of Duke (1868) in that of Ireland. The mansions are Hopetoun
House, ½ mile E of the village, and Binns House, 2 miles WSW: the property is
divided between the Earl of Hopetoun and Sir Robert-Alexander-Osborne Dalyell.
|
