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The Barony of Barnes was
erected by George Seton, 7th Lord Seton, for his third son, John. Sir John
Seton of Barnes was educated both in Scotland, France and Italy before finally
proceeding to Spain.
He was born in 1553, and has been described as a brave man, well
travelled and educated. He was brought up at the
court of King Philip II of Spain and rose to become a knight of the Kings
personal bodyguard and master of his Household. So distinguished
was he that he
was summoned home by King James VI & I. He was given
the office of Treasurer, as well as Master of the Horse, and Master of the Kings Household for life,
and was proprietor of Hailes Castle and that of Garleton Castle while he waited for his Castle at Barnes to
be built. In 1588 he was admitted an Extraordinary of the College of Justice,
though he died only a few short years later, and his Castle of Barnes was never
completed. Later, this branch assumed the title of the Earl of
Dunfermline, forfeit.
Sir John
Seton was proprietor of most of the land around Aimsfield. He died in 1594
and was buried in the nave of the old church of Haddington, where
now a grand carved
monument can be seen in the Seton's of the Barnes' burying place. The farm of Amisfield Mains, formerly
called Harperdean Mains was originally two farms. The west part of it was called
The Barnes. Amisfield Mains formed part of the estate of Seton of
the Barnes.
The Seton's of Barnes became generally
known as the Seton's of Hailes (or Hallis) after their
acquisition of that Castle from the heir s of Hercules Stewart,
and who also had later acquired Crichton Castle, albeit briefly,
from James Stewart, brother of Lord John Stewart, Prior of
Coldingham.
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