III. NOTES ON THE LANDS AND MANOR HOUSE OF GORGIE, EDINBURGH. BY JOHN SMITH, P.S.A.ScoT.

E OWNERSTH . Gorgie, a western suburb of Edinburgh, is now incorporated with and forms one of the wards of the city. For long a purely agricultural district t owei , origis it sstreaa o nt burr mo n which meandered through s landsit . This stream, which bor e namth e f Gorgieo es Burnit d ha , rise a little to the south, at the ponds at the base of Craiglockhart Hill. Advantag s s watertakeit wa ef o o ndrivt s a corn-mile l whics wa h erected on its banks, thus forming the nucleus of the little hamlet that arose to accommodate the miller and his servants. The lands of s milGorgie it closel ar ld an ey interwoven witanothere e hon th t bu , e greateth f o rmil s importancewa l r centuriefo s a , e tenantth s d an s owners were designate s f beingG*orgia do t no ,e lands t alwaybu , f o s Gorgie mylne. THE LANDS AND MANOR HOUSE OF GORGIE, EDINBURGH. 269 The land f Gorgiso e were acquire r Willia 123Si n d i y 6b m Livingstone, who was of a family closely connected with Renfrew. It continued in their possessio r ovenfo r three centuries aftersasina e land th s a ,f seo of Gorgie was granted to William Livingstone in 1467, and another to Margrate Levingstoun in 1513. This lady evidently had the right of disposae landsth , althoug f as o , l h marrie r JameSi o t ds Hamilton of Finnart e consentesh , a charte o t d r being r husband'givehe o nt s cousin, James Hamilto f Schawfieldno e halth ff o land, hald an sf mill of Gorgie e helb do t ,e blencgranterth f d o hdate an ,t Hamiltoda n 16th February 1527-8, sasine being given at the manor and mill on 3rd February beginnin e 1528-9th n nexe I .th f tg o yea r this James Hamilton of Schawfield died, and thereafter the superiority of these half lands and half mill appears to have been quietly annexed by Thomas Otterburn of Reidhall, a property that was near Gorgie to the south-west. Up to this date no mention of the name or names of the tenants of the mill e impressio founde th b d d lando t an an , s i s formeni d that Thomas Otterburn ignored the claims of the Hamiltons of Schawfield with e lettinth f themgo . However t forgotte e matteno e th ,s th y wa rb n heir f Jameo s s Hamilton, and s wil a see,e b l n furthe , resulteon r a n di rude awakenin Otterbure th o gt n family. This was brought about by a matter which arose nearly fifty years after by an alteration in the ownership of the teinds. As is well known, King David I., when he founded the Abbey of Holyrood House in 1128, endowe t i dwit a hnumbe f churco r h f theso lands e e on ,bein e th g Church of St Cuthbert's. As Gorgie was in the parish of St Cuthbert's the teinds formed a part of the endowment and, as such, had been paid abbee th o yt yeae directth rn I 155. 8 notic gives ewa thos o nt e concerned thamade b changa to et s regardinewa teindse gth t beini , g intimated in a grant by Robert (Stewart), commendator of the abbey, in favour of Mr David Makgill, advocate. This grant gave to him for his lifetime in yearly pension the teind sheaves of the lands of Gorgie and Mill, with 20s. payable fro e saim th s dservice hi mill r fo s procurato, a s r fo r the abbey. It was signed by the commendator and other officials of dateabbee s i th Decembeh d dy9t an r 1558. Here we have a sidelight on the means taken to carry on the affairs of the abbey so near the Reformation, and it is strange that so shrew da lawyer Davi M s da r Makgil l e confiscatioaccepteth s a , dit n and repudiation of a large number of these pre-Reformation dues arose shortly afterwards transactioe s faitth hi n i ht s rewardebu ; nwa y b d the tenants of Gorgie mill and lands paying their teind dues as usual. He afterwards, with a far-seeing acumen, found means to convert this life pension into a tack or lease for nineteen years, and on the 6th 270 PROCEEDING E SOCIETY, 192814 TH .F Y O S MA , November 1575 he assigned and transferred this lease to Thomas Otterburn of Reidhall. It does not transpire what Mr David Makgill receive r thidfo s assignations a t cleas tur i t no t i nou r d t thadi bu ,t i t well as Thomas Otterburn expected. Seven years after, on the 8th March 1582, a charter was granted by this same Thomas in terms of a contrac f salo t e grantin d alienatingan Archibalo gt d Napie f Edino r - billie, and his wife and son, an annual rent of 120 merks to be uplifted from the lands of Gorgie with the mill. This was a heavy burden on thes s probable wa land d an sy entered a meanint s o a f providin o s g for his son, and he accordingly resigned into the king's hands the lands of Auldhame in the county of East Lothian and the lands of Gorgie and Mill, in favour of the said Thomas Otterburn, younger, and his future wife Marion Cockburn, in a deed dated at Edinburgh 28th January a numbe1593-4 r Fo f year. o r s after r ThomaSi , s Otterburn s younhi d g an bride would enjo e familth y y estates apparentle h s a , y had complete control ove re receiveh them t bu ,a dshoc k whea n deman s madwa d e uporegardinm hi n e e Hamiltorightth th g f o s n familhale th f n yi land hald san f mil Gorgief o l . r nearlFo y three-quarter centura f o s y foune nothinb o t d s congi - cerning this family's righ theso t t e hal s jusi f t ti lands possibld an , e that Sir Thomas had not heard of it either, but a notarial instrument soon mad awarm ehi eforgottent tha no righ e s tth wa t . Evidence that ti came as a surprise to Sir Thomas is best afforded by the demands which, instrumene th t narrates, were presented personall Jamey yb s Hamilton, servitor to Sir Claud Hamilton of Schawfield, knight, acting as procurator for Sir Robert Hamilton. It included a precept from the Royal Chancer f Edinburghyo , elated 1605y 21sMa t, directe r ThomaSi o t d s Otterburn at Reidhall, requiring him to give sasine to Sir Robert Hamilto f Easteno r Greenlees e lat th s heie a ,f o Jamer s Hamiltof no Schawfield, his great-grandfather, last vest and seised in the said half lands and mill of Sir Thomas, as superior, to whom also a precept of sasine was handed, with a request that he would sign and seal as directed. Sir Thomas point-blank refiised, his reply being " that he knew na uthir vassillis of the said lands bot his father and himselfe." Thus ended the interview, and the procurator for the Hamiltons, who was present, then ordered instruments to be taken by the hands of Mr John Paip, notary public, which Avas done at Reidhall on 21st y 1605Ma . Th Hamiltone e t th restmatte r no fo ,d di r s were determine havo dt e justice, as it will be observed that on the one hand they apparently affirmed that he was considered superior, yet they hint that this could be challenged. , They accordingly took steps to maintain their right, so THE LANDS AND MANOR HOUSE OF GORGIE, EDINBURGH. 271 in less than two months after they served on Sir Thomas an extract retour of service, which was made before the sheriff-depute of Renfrew and twenty-five jurors o declarewh , d thar RoberSi t t Hamiltof o n Easter Greenlee s great-grandfathe hi s hei f wa o sr s mother'hi n o r s side, etc. Thi instrumenn a se ignored b o couls t d no d f an sasin,o t e was grante recorded de an particula th n di r registe r Edinburgfo r n ho 20te th h than Marci r Renfre fo d t han w 17th April 1606 t comeI . s a s a surprise that on the 13th August 1609 the Hamilton family resigned l thatal - the obtained yha d back again int Otterburne hande oth th f so s as superiors e expensth . y Whetheb f thi eo s s wa litigation t i r e th r o , Napiers calling up their bond over the Gorgie lands and mill, is un- knownt thia t s bu date, n termi a ,contrac f o s t between thed man James Duncau, who was clothier to the Queen, they disposed of the Gorgie lands to him, which included manor place, mill and mill lands, and the teinds also. This is the last mention of-the Otterburns' connection with the Gorgie property, as they, like a large number of these pre-Reformation landed families in Scotland, >at the close of the sixteent d beginninan h e seventeentth f go h centuries, practically dis- appeared theid an , r lands passe differena o dt t clas proprietorsf so . James proprietoDuncanw ne Gorgie e th th , f ro e lands s designatei , d beins a f Rathogo villaga , milew fe sea west from Gorgie properts Hi . y or residence there was named Majoribanks, of which no traces are now to be found. Beyond this, and the fact that he was one of the clothiers in attendance on Anne, Queen of King James I., little else can be gleaned conveyance Th . principalls properte i th m f eo hi o yt fortt yse h inchartera , whic stils hi l preserved seae Th lgoo n .attachei s i d t i o dt preservation, showing Parted per chevron, the base guttee, a chevron between three otters heads couped, on a chief a crescent in sinister. Legen . ThomD . S d e Ottirbyr Reidhalle d n d datean , d 18td 24tan hh November 1609. (It is interesting to note that this deed was shown at the Heraldic Exhibition hel t Edinburgda 1891.n hi ) n 162I 0 James Duncan infefte s sonhi d, also named Jamese th n i , lands, and he for over twenty years after was the recognised laird. During the whole period of the two Duncans' ownership the relations between them and their tenants appear to have been of a harmonious description. In 1656 there came into prominence the family who were t a that o succeededate tenantswh th e d an d, shortly afterwardn i s making themselve ownerse s th Broun e Th . Gorgif so e Mylne, each called John, occupied these lands for four generations, two of them as tenants and two of them as owners. The first John Broun was a member of the Brouns of Hartrie, near Biggar, a family which had been settled there from about the end of 272 PROCEEDING E , SOCIETY192814 TH .Y F O S MA , the fourteenth century. At the beginning of the sixteenth century two females of that line, Marion and Catherine, married the Otterburn that slai was Floddenat Jameand n s Fouli Colintonof s . Whether these two ladies were John Broun's aunts or sisters is unknown—it is really immaterial now—but this relationship, nea r faro r , must have beena strong factor in his obtaining the tenancy of the lands of Grorgie. It believes i d tha obtainee h t e landdth s about 1578 throug influence hth e famils ohi f y connection t mayi thie s B a s.gleanede , b littl n eca about him, but his marriage to Janet Watson, daughter of the family of Saughton, which then was of some importance in the locality, indicates that he was socially considered a suitable match for one of their members. diee H t Grorgda y Myln 1592n ei , being succeede e tenancth s hi n d i y yb son and heir, also named John. This, the second, John must have been a very young man when he succeede father's hi o dt s tenanc mile landsd th sooe an lf H yo n. made for himself a name that was more than of local importance. This is brought out in a petition to the Privy Council, which is as follows:— "The common for t Sauchtonhalda l bein washi' o gs n away' that last winter sundry persons perished in the water as the next passage to it (viz.) the New Brig on the Water of Leith being very far decayed in e Tendth Puttid an s s thereof, a petitio' s beeha nn presentee th o t d Counci persony b l s dwelling be-wes f Edinburgo t h praying commission givee b o o Johnnt t e Brou ' werriGorgiemilln ni a s i e o honnestwh , , famous and ansuerable man,' to build a bridge at Sauchtonhall of four bows (arches), all the pillars to be of massive stone work, and the pend, 'becaus maie convenientli f timbeb o f t stane, do e no b n i rn o t ' ca t ei a sufficient manner, and also to repair the said New Brig." e PrivTh y Counci n 26to l h November 1605 granted commission subscribe e Ear th f Montrosso y l b d , Commissione y Lorm f o do t r Halirudhous, and the Lord Advocate and Collector, to visit the said forbridgerepord nexe o t th an dd tt a tan Counci, l meeting what dues will suffic r completinfo e e saith gd work e petition th copA .f o y , indorsed Halirudhous 15th August 1605, bears the words " Fiat ut petitur " (Let the petition be granted) and is subscribed as above. Commissio grantes nwa Joho dt n Brou big' o nbridgt a ' t Sauchtonea - hal Januarn i l y 1606 alond an , g wit e duehth ss authorise whicwa e hh d to collect from those who used the fords for nine years after, he received subscriptions from Mr John Watson, portioner of Sauchtonhall, 1000 merks, Mr James Watson, portioner of Sauchton, 500 merks, and other sums from six other subscribers was given to him that within three years hereof he shall finish a sure bridge for man and horse on the Water of Leith, a little below Dalzellis mill, and shall sufficiently E LAND MANOTH D SAN R HOUS GORGIEF EO , EDINBURGH3 27 . repair the New Brig, employing the whole sum allowed to be collected himy b . upo e sainth d bridges. This give iden a sf wha o a tooe h tn ko hand, and that it was a slow and uphill contract is seen by the disputes that arose with some of the other proprietors, especially the Forresters of Corstorphine, but he kept at the project until it was successfully accomplished, when he forwarded to the Lords of the Privy Council the following Petition. "At the request of the Barons and gentlemen of West Lothian, petitioner undertoo builo kt dbridga t Sauchtonhallea . Having found caution, he begun the work and succeeded in finishing bridgee th cravee h , approbatioe dth allowanced nan proceedingss hi f so , and the Lords accordingly ordered Sir Archibald Naper of Marchinstoun e Councith f othed o an le r on justicee peacth o f visi t eo e works th t . They reported in his favour, the Lords find that the petitioner has fulfilled the contract, and they exoner him. and his caiitioners from the foresaid caution." This is dated November 1617, and it will be noticed that the contract took nearly twelve years to execute, but it is clear that this delay was due to the period allowed for drawing the dues during the bridge- building t nina t d beee, pu ha yearswhic n s t i finishe f wa hi ; d before that time these dues would have s beestipulatewa n t i lost s da , that these were to be spent exclusively on the bridge. This edifice lasted till recent years, having been swept away by floods which occurred durin e middlgth e ninetie f laso s t century lighA . t iron bridgs wa e erecte s placeit n di . Durin perioe bridge-buildings gth hi f do evenn ,a t arose that seems to indicate that he contemplated leaving the district. The grandiose scheme of King James VI. for the colonisation of Ulster in 1609 appears to have been taken seriously, not only by John Broun, but also by the two Watsons, his near neighbours. He applied as an undertaker r shareholdero , e Plantationth n i , f Ulsteso r 200fo r 0 acres, this bein e largesgth t amoun f lano t d that coul e acquireb de on y b d individual. His security for fulfilment of his application was granted Hariy b e Aikma f Brumhouno neaa ( s r relative) e amounth o t , f £40o t 0 sterling, quite a large sum then. Doubtles Watsone th sd whean se learnenh e conditiondth s binding on them after obtaining the grant they thought better of the bargain, and dispose f theido r righ thoso t wero t ewh e prepare carro dt t you e termspublic-spiritea th s A . d individua s servicehi l s after this were in great request and were not confined to his own locality. Space does t holdinallogivo n t no e eow w m devotethese s gh hi detailn o ei t t d bu , both labou d monean r n improvini y d enlargingan g e renteH . d additional land, and built another mill and thirteen new houses for his workers. All this meant prosperity, and it is safe to say that to him VOL. LXII. 18 274 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, MAY 14, 1928. the fortune and wealth of his heirs were entirely due. It is just possible numbea tha r fo t f yearo r s befor s deathi e retiree hh d from active life, e observeb n ca fodt i rfro d heir e thiran ma dee th , n ddso thas hi t John e managemenBrounth d s deat ha s affairs, hi hi t 165n hi f A o t3. his age is not stated, but as his father died sixty years before, the presumptio thas ni woxile th nearle db y eighty whee year ag died e f nh so . This sone thirth , d marrie ha John o dwh , Margaret Tennent long before his father's death, and as joint tenant succeeded to a prosperous concern, then took full responsibility. To him we are indebted for a complete descriptio e extenlande th buildingth d f f no an so t s after his father's death. Thibroughs swa t havins abouhi y b tgtransumpa t made of the lease which had been drawn up on 10th August 1643. This document, by neglect and ill keeping, became so frail that it could not e 29tth hbn eFebruaro used, He . y 1656, petitione e " Commissionerdth s for administration of justice to the people of Scotland," craving that this tor ne transume b tac r leasy o k ma ey thei b d re th clerk n I . opening preambl f thieo s petitio recordse nh , tha s fathe hi tbeed ha rn sett the lands of Gorgie and Mill by James Duncan of Ratho all the sais dayhi d f father'so s nineteelifetimo tw d ean n years thereafter. As shi sole h dea ew d tenante reasondfatheno an th s r wa fo r,s statedo t d ,an make sure of his position, he petitions for this new copy. His request was granted and in due time the transumpt was handed to him. The terms of the lease are too long for insertion here, interesting though they are, but a sentence may be quoted that goes a long way to show the cordial relations between laird and tenant in those days. It commences, " Thas agreei t i t d between James Dunca f e Rathno th n oo one part, and John Broun younger on the other part, that as John Broun and his father have been," kyndlie tenants and possessors of the lands an fatheds grantee hi milth d o rt l an r" ther many yeares bygane,e "th said James, being unwillin removo gt e them, e saileaseth d o t sJoh n Broun lands and buildings as described, etc. The said John Broun e saith d bind o t Jame y sheirs himselpa hi s o st Duncad an f merk 0 n40 s Scots yearly from Martinmas next, with 20 geese and 20 capons yearly, with 20s. for darame mail with " ane yeir old fed swyne at Pasch, it being ane libbed gelt outwith ane yeir auld." (It may be noted that this lease which records all the boundaries of the lands was always referred to in later dispositions.) We now reach the period when the Brouns, instead of being tenants, becam e owner e Gorgieth th f o se lands. What brought abou e salth te of them is unknown, but it is evident that events occurred that led to negotiations being entered into for their acquisition by the Brouns. It is almost certain that the transumpt was the means taken to E LAND MANOTH D SAN R HOUS GORGIEF EO , EDINBURGH5 27 . remove uncertainty as to boundaries, etc. During these negotiations James Duncan died, and his widow Isobel Foulis married a Major William Murray as her second husband. She, with consent of her r trusteehusbandhe d an s , grante ddispositiona , dated 29th April 1656, resignin e landgth f Gorgio s e Mill, manor house favoun i d , etcan r o .t e saioth fd John Broun yearo Tw s. after (1658) this John Broun died, being succeede sons fourte hi ,th y db h bearin e samgth e name moro N .e ca gleanee nb d unti chartea l r unde Greae rth t Sea Kiny b l g Charle. sII s grantewa 14tn do h June 1673, which complete e transferencdth e th f eo property. This wha e fourtwa s th t h John Broun became possesse, dof and in him the fortunes of the family reached their highest point. All the accumulated industry and wealth of his three ancestors fell to him, and that it amounted to a goodly sum is made manifest by his purchas e land th d baron f an so e f Braidyo , whic d comha h e inte oth market through the death of Sir William Dick of Braid. This purchase was ratified by the Scots Parliament in 1681, and he then took his position as a landed proprietor of the county. He resided at the Manor House of Braid, and although he never aspired to municipal honours in the city of Edinburgh, his position enabled him to be nominated for several years as Commissioner of Supply for the County. s s namesucceede e diewa wa H 168s sonn o i d dhi 4an y wh Andre , db w Instrumene andth s a , Sasinf o t e informfotins wa , dfathes us heishi f ro r the late John Broun of Gorgiemilne on 22nd July 1685. He in turn was followed by his son, also named Andrew, who died unmarried, and s deatby hi e famile Brounhth th f yo f Gorgi so e Myln became extinct. Before his death he conveyed the estates to his cousin, also named Andrew, whose heirs remained the owners until Thomas Broun of Braid disposed of nearly all the Braid property to Gordon of Cluny in 1772, d whic e an possessio s th stilhi n e Cluni l th f no y family. As it is outwith the purposes of these notes to follow the history of the Braid property, we now return to the Gorgie lands which was e homelanth e Brounsth e grandso f e o dTh fourt th . f ho n John, named Andrew, who died unmai'ried and whose death was the means of a change in the ownership of all the properties, had been infefted e 14tth in h n theFebruaro l mal y s father1694hi t either r ,o bu fo , e h r some unknown reason (the exact details havt beeno e n recorded), bonded the entire Gorgie property to James M'Lurg, merchant and Dea f Guilno f Edinburghdo n annuaa r fo , l ren f £16o t 0 Scots, corre- spondin a principa o gt f 400o l 0 merks e bonth , d being recordeh 7t n do August 1693r JameSi . s M'Lur Yogrief go bondholdere ,th wealtha s ,wa y merchant in Edinburgh and a large shareholder in the ill-fated Darien Scheme. Its failure did not do him much harm, as the costly memorial 276 . PROCEEDING S E , SOCIETY1928O14 TH F .Y MA , erected in the Greyfriars Churchyard records that after his death in 171 e lef7h t large legacie s friendhi d 22,00o t san s 0 merk r pioufo s s uses. No information is available as to the redemption of this bond by the Brouns, and it appears to have been taken over from Sir James M'Lur r AlexandeSi y gb r Brand proprietoe th , e landth f Eastef so o r r Dairy, which nearly adjoined the lands of Gorgie. (Brandfield Street, a short street entering from Grove Street, still perpetuates this man's connection wit e locality.th h e resul Th f thi)o t s gav r AlexandeeSi r control ove wida r e exten f lando t , which practically joine s owndhi , beind an gs e improvincit neath ywa o t r g every years ownershiHi . p of thes havins s endehi e wa y db relinquiso g t h paymenthen i l mal f to a debt. He sold them to Mr George Lind, merchant, Edinburgh, on the 5th December 1709, at the instance of George Mackenzie in Stanley, upo ndecreea f transferenco t followine th r efo g sum f threso e thousand, nine hundred, and ninety-seven pounds, six shillings, and fivepence sterling sterling)(£3997. 5d . 6s , , acknowledge saie th d y sellerb e grantere ddu ,th . lase Thith t s mentioi Brounse th f no ' nam connection ei n \vit Gorgie hth e lands which they had continuously occupied for one hundred and twenty- seven years. George Lind entered into possession, and on the 22nd June instrumenn 1711a y b , f sasineto infeftee h , wifes hi d , Jean Montgomery, in the lands of Gorgie, mills, manor house, etc., to be held in liferent in contentation of an annuity of 600 merks under their marriage contract dated 10th October 1694. Information about this George- Linex s di ceedingly meagres namhi t e bu occur, shareholdea s a s e Darieth n ri n o sumSchem tw f n £20 o s r succeede so fo 0 ewa s each hi e H y .b d Alexander Jamesn so followe s o o dies wa n 175wh hi , wh i d, d y 6b dan was entered heir of provision special in the lands of Gorgie 22nd June 1764r JameD . s Lind solmanoe dth r house e mill som,d th ,an e lando t , be held of himself for a nominal feu-duty, to Mr James Reid of Eastertyre t Whitsundaa y 1778 e occupieReir th manoe M states d.e i th b f o o rdrt house. Biggar . werCo e & stenanta Georg e milld th an f , eo s Brown tenant of some land included in the sale. Mr James Reid was succeeded by his four daughters. They sold in 178 Majoo 7 t Wm r M r. d GeorgCampbellan y eHa partners ,a fire th m f so of James Reid Co.& , linen printers, Gorgie thesd ,an e partners sole dth subjects to Mr James Williamson, merchant, Leith, in 1792. Williamson and his firm of Sinclair & Williamson, merchants, Leith, having been sequestered trustee ,th e sol subjecte dth Roberf o Bellst o x s MilltCo t a s Whitsunday 1799, althoug dispositione hth , whic takes h wa favou n ni f o r s motherhi d Marios an ,Mr x MnCo r Forreste t grante r no Cox o rs ,dwa until 23rd August 1806. The remainde e Gorgith f r o e superiorit th land d san f thosyo e sold THE LANDS AND MANOR HOUSE OF GORGIE, EDINBURGH. 277 to Mr James Reid were sold by Dr Lind to Mr Adam Keir, baker, Edinburgh, at the same time as the sale of the manor house, etc., to Mr James Reid, and after passing through a number of hands were acquired by the late Mr Robert Cox, M.P., about forty years ago. The Cox's name has now been associated with the lands and manor hous f Gorgieo r ovehundree efo on r d years mand an , y will remember Mr John Cox, who did so much for the promotion of healthy amusements e citizenfoth r f Edinburghso als d Roberr an ,oM t Cox, M.P. dieo n dwh ,i JunFrancd 2n e n 1899eo . t beeAlthougno ns founha t i hd possibl associato t e greay an er o t heroic deed with these different proprietor t muspasti e t th e b t,ye n si remembered that the Brouns and the Coxs, each in their day, con- tributed largely as employers of labour to the prosperity and well- being of their workers closely clustered around their own private dwellings. They must be classed as public benefactors, for through their individual effort enterprisd an s e numeroueth s residenter e quieth n tsi hamle f Gorgito e wer centurier efo s enable obtaio dt nconstana t reward for their services. That these services were value theiy db r employers is bes e kindlt th see y nyb endeavours mad they eb r thei mfo r welfare and comfort. We have the Brouns about the middle of the seven- teenth century erecting thirteen new houses for their workers, followed e nineteenthe th Coxbth yn i s , e whosamth en , o site, erectee th d picturesque range of buildings which to-day still remain as a living memento of their connection and interest in the district.

THE MANOR HOUSE. To many it will come as a surprise to know that the original manor house of Gorgie is still occupied and in fair preservation. The Brouns froe succeedinth m l al 157 d 8gan owner tilp su l nearle close th yth f o e last century have reside thin di s house, coverin gperioa f ovedo r three hundred years earliese Th . t mentio t beini f no g terme dmanoa r house take s bacsu 152o t k 7 whe r JamenSi s Hamilto f Finnaro n t granteda ' charter of it to his cousin James Hamilton of Schawfield. I need scarcely add that Sir James was the King's Master Mason for Scotland, but whether he had any connection with the erection of the house is unknown. At present the whole edifice shows more or less three different erections, all joined together and forming an extensive pile of buildings. The house originally was of an L shape, a favourite form of construc- tion in those days, and as such was the residence of all the four John Brouns. During their occupatio e principath n e lth entrancn o s wa e west side of the L, as that faced the mill, and by the diversity in the 278 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, MAY 14, 1928. window e houseopenings th pard initialso f ol N o t. e th ,, s mara t i k dates, or lintels with pious inscriptions are to be found in this old part identifo t e Brounsth y ' long connection wit e househth . Fortunately, one of them, in an excess of loyalty to his king, ornamented the dining- or living-room with an elaborate plaster ceiling. This ceiling is divided into five circles, the centre of each containing some insignia connected with royalty d froe facan th ,m t l alon thaal e hous th s tg ha ebee n occupied by resident proprietors, the condition these ornaments are at present in show that they were valued and have come down to us throug e carhth e take thesy nb e loyalist owner d theian s r successors. The remarkable thing about the ornamental ceiling in this house is tha Stenhopn i t e Mills House same th en i , locality Scottise th , h Eegalia and date appears, not on the ceiling, but affixed on the wall above a fireplac witd e sa,man ehth e Latin inscriptio Gorgin i s na e Housed Ol . Dairy House and Merchiston Castle, also in the district, have much the same ornaments on ceilings, but the fact that all these four a.re dated 1661 points to some strong inducement by these separate pro- prietor thuo t s s give Scottisth e h Regalia suc a hprominen t placn ei their private dwelling-houses. illustratioe Th n (fig ) perhap1 . s gives better than words what these insigni e lik Gorgin ar ai e e House e bes th s the ta ,e preservedyar d an , e thoughth thed t arisesdi y w comthue b ho , so et displayed here, seeing that those four mansions were all erected before 1661. There is no recor f Kindo g Charle . eveII s r having visite r residedo then di m that muse yearw d t therefor,an e look elsewher accouno et t for their presence, for it is certain they mean more than an ornament. The words of the Latin sentence contained in the label below the sword and sceptre supply the answer. A free translation of the words may be submitted as follows: " Our ancestors have given us those 108 kings unconquered." Her e hav e w egenuin th e e sentiment f thos o so wer ewh e loyad an l faithfu theio t l r Stuart king s befora , e 1660 they were debarred under e iroth n rul f Cromweleo expreso t l r shoso w their sentiment r himsfo . His ruthlessness to such opinions was made an object-lesson to all in their near neighbourhood by the almost total destruction of Reidhall Castl 1650n ei , which showe triflee b s rio do t dtwa tha e withh t . There- fore the Restoration was to all these loyalists a real joy, and the lairds of Gorgie, Stenhope Mills, Merchiston Castle d Dairan , y (probabla y great many more t onca ) e gave expressio theio t n r long pent feelings by decorating their residences with these arms and motto. There they remai tangibls a thio y nt sda e thankfulnesmementod an y e jo th f so r fo s retur poweo nt f theio r r beloved kin deliverancd gan e fro tyranne mth y of the commonwealth government. E LAND MANOTH D SAN R HOUS GORGIEF EO , EDINBURGH. 279 The house remaine s originait n i d l L e e perioshapth th l f do al e Brouns' occupation, but after Mr George Lind obtained possession he effecte almosn a d t complete change buildingth n addee o w H ne . da part to the south-east by filling up the part forming the vacant portion d thuan s L makin e n ooblonth a f t i g g house e discontinueH . e th d western entrance doorway and formed a new one facing the south. doino s e lef n gh I a memoria t l marking this alteration s ovea e , th r new doorwa e erecteh y n ornamentaa d l entablature r overdooro , , s whicwife'hi d sh an monogracontaine n ow s hi dm wit e dathth e 1710. This stone, which has been removed from its original position, is now

Fig . Plaste1 . r Ceilin Gorgin gi e House.

to be seen built into the east side of one of the boundary walls and nearly indecipherable. It and the oil paintings which decorate the wood panelling of the king's room, which is believed was executed by r somo m e hi membe e familyonle th th yf e s connectioro relic ar ,hi f so n wit housee hth . In this condition it remained until the Cox family bought the property, and though they occupied the old enlarged house for a numbe f yearo r s after, they decide n makino d n alteratioa g d an n addition which practically changed the appearance of the building. This, in the form of an imposing front, completely conceals all the old parts of the house, and they, at the same time, made it the principal entrance. The incorporation of this new east front is clearly seen on buils s sout it wa needless t i t tha e i y earlht i s th sa enda t d n yo i t s an , 280 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, MAY 14, 1928. nineteenth century perioa t a , d whe e influenc nth e Ada th f mo e style s stil evidencen wa i l e interioth , r shows, mor r less o es well-know hi , n design in its decorative details. Large and finely proportioned public rooms and an imposing hall and staircase blending in a most satisfactory manner wit e oldehth r part l emphaticallal s y denote thaownere th t s would have nothing but the best. Thu have w s e three houses made e th int s os sucha a one t hi d ,an unique distinction of having been continuously occupied by the several owner r ovefo s r three hundre care f th eac eo df o the t o h yearss i m t I . through stor sunshind man e that this finmanod ol e r hous sucn i s hei wonderful preservation have w es A trie. o showdt , along with this continuity of occupancy the building still shows something tangible of som f theso e e owners .t wantinno Sign e ar sg thae timth tfass i e t approaching whe removas nit demolitiod an l n will take placeevere Th -. increasing deman e cit f th Edinburgyo y db r morhfo e house s bouni s d to call attention to the house and grounds. They are now offered on sal r thiefo s purpose large th housines w a , extensione e gth schemf no e at Saughton nearby marks Gorgie House as a most covetable position.