CONGALTON,
an ancient surname in Scotland, derived from the barony of Congalton
in the parish of Dirleton in East Lothian. The family of Congalton of
Congalton subsisted for twenty generations in the male line. The first
on record was Robert de Congaltoun, who witnessed a charter of Richard
de Moreville, constable of Scotland, without date, but granted about
1162, engraved in ‘Anderson’s Diplomata.’ In the Ragman Roll, occurs
the name of Walter de Congleton, supposed by Nisbet to be one of this
family. The name occurs again in a charter by Patrick earl of March of
the lands of Stonypath in 1316, ‘On 8th May 1509, a royal
charter was granted by King James the Fourth to Henry Congalton of
Congalton, of the king’s island and lands of Fetheray, along with the
hill of the castle (Monte-Castri) of the same called Tarbet; also all
and whole the king’s island and lands of Craigleith, with the
pertinents of the same, lying within the Firth of Forth, county of
Edinburgh and constabulary of Haddington, creating, uniting, annexing,
and incorporating all these islands, lands, and hill of the castle
aforesaid, with the pertinents of the same, in one whole and free
barony, to be called the barony of Tarbet, to be held of the king,
paying one penny of Scots money, at the said hill of the castle of
Tarbet, in name of blench farm if required, along with the marriage of
the said heirs of Henry Congalton when it shall happen.” [Great
Seal Register, Book xv., No. 115.]
The elder
branch of the family succeeding through heiresses to the estates of
Hepburn of Keith in East Lothian, and Rickart of Rickartoun, in the
county of Kincardine, assumed the names of Rickart and Hepburn. [See
RICKART, and HEPBURN, surnames of.]
Robert
Hepburn Congalton of Keith and Congalton, the eighteenth generation of
the family, sold Congalton to his brother, Charles, whose son, William
Congalton of Congalton, married Mary, daughter of David Bethune of
Balfour in Fife. His son, Charles Congalton of Congalton, succeeding
to the estate of that ancient and distinguished family, of whom was
Cardinal Bethune, took the name and arms of Bethune of Balfour, and
sold Congalton, which was afterwards purchased by the heir male,
Colonel Robert Rickart Hepburn, of Keith and Rickartoun, member of
parliament for the county of Kincardine, who dying in 1804, was buried
with his ancestors in the church of Golyn. Congalton was sold to a
gentleman of the name of Grant, in whose family it remains.
