Timeline of Families 
of 
the Castle of St Monance

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Durward

Alan Durward born about 1216, died 1275, married Marjory, daughter of Alexander II
Ermengarde Durward, eldest daughter of Alan, married William de Soulis, owner of Hermitage Castle and mother of Nicholas de Soulis, claimant to the throne in 1290, and grandmother of William de Soulis conspirator of 1320.

 

Arms of de Soulis

 Sir Nicholas de Soulis ~Ermine three chevronels Gules
When Alexander III's only surviving heir, his granddaughter, the Margaret, the Maid of Scotland died en route to Scotland to take up her throne at the age of seven in 1290, there was great competition to succeed her.  Sir Nicholas de Soulis, as son of Ermengarde, and grandson of Marjory, the bastard daughter of the Maid of Scotland's great-grandfather King Alexander II,  was the nearest Claimant in blood (although of an illegitimate line).  
The de Soulis family had significant power and influence and his son, Sir John de Soulis was among those chosen to negotiate an alliance with France in 1320, during one of the French wars with England.

 
Ann, another of the three daughters of Alan among whom his estate was divided.  Ann married Colban MacDuff, Earl of Fife.  They had one son Duncan.

 

MacDuff family crest
  It has not yet been established whether the St Monance property was inherited by Ermengarde or Ann.  In the early part of the 14th century, property that had been owned by the Durwards in Aberdeenshire was in the hands of the MacDuffs.  However, the de Soulis family which had not been previously noted in Fife, had members described as "of Fife" soon after Alan Durward's death.
 

 

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MacDuff

Colban, (died 1270) the 8th Earl of Fife, married Ann Durward
Duncan, born 1262, died 25 September 1288, married Jean de Clare
Duncan 1285-1353, married Mary de Monthermer, born 1318? In Monthermer, France
Isabella, born before 1332, died after 1389.  She married several times in an attempt to provide an heir.  Her husbands included Walter Stewart c. 1360; William Ramsay, c.1368; Thomas Bysset, c.1384.  She was unsuccessful in her quest.  

Research has not yet provided information as to how the transition of the castle’s ownership was effected between Isabella’s death and the records indicating John Kinloch as owner of the property in the 15th century.

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Kinloch

John, born c.1411
Margaret 1436/7-1493, and her sister Christian were co-heiresses of John.  While it appears John owned property in the area of St Monance, there is no evidence that he occupied or built the castle.  It would appear that she did inherit that property along with the castle at Cruivie. 

Margaret married James Sandilands with whom she had one son, John.  James Sandilands remarried and his second wife was, Margaret Ker, by whom he had a son James whose wife Catherine Scot created the link to the eventual possession of the castle by the Sandilands.

 

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 Scott / Moncrieffe

 

Thomas Scott of Balwerie and Pitgorno, 1480-1539, Scottish judge, the second
son of William Scott of Balwearie and Abbotshall and Janet, daughter of Thomas  Lundy.

 

            Thomas Scott married Agnes Moncrieffe, daughter of John Moncreiffe and Beatrice Foreman,

and they had at least one child, Thomas Scott.

Thomas Scott was appointed justice clerk in 1535 and was a great favourite with James V. 

Agnes, following Thomas' death and acting for herself and her son in 1545, sold property to James Sandilands her property, " . . . belonging to our manour commonly called the New Wark of St Monance . . .".  It was in that same year that the Sandilands made the castle the seat for the baronies of Cruvy and St Monance. 

 

 Thomas Scott.  It is unclear, but would appear likely, that the Castle's
Thomas Scott was executed in 1566 as one of the scapegoats for the murder of
David Rizzio, the influential Italian-born secretary to Mary Queen of Scots. 


     David Rizzio
It was alleged that Scott had been responsible for the lack of security on the gates of
Hollyrood Palace which had opened to facilitate access to the assassins. 
The Thomas Scott who was executed (along with Henry Yair, a priest)
was the Sheriff-Depute of Perth, a role in keeping with the generations of men in his
family associated with the practice of law, both his father and grandfather having been
judges and reformers of the legal process in Scotland.

 

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Sandilands

James, 1433- before 1505, married Margaret Kinloch, 25 July 1453, married, secondly Margaret Ker (died before 1549) through whose line the castle was passed

James, 1476(?)-1534 (son of James’ second wife, Margaret Ker), Married Catherine Scot (born 1479 Balweary) about 1505

James, born about 1506, Cruvy, Fife, died 2 November 1585.  Married three times (1) Elizabeth Meldrum about 1536, (2) Jonet Gray, before 7 June 1566, and (3) Elizabeth Ramsay, contract 19 October 1582
During this era, the castle was visited
on three occasions by Mary, Queen of Scots: 
5 April 1563
16 April 1563
9 February 1565
 The Sandilands were early converts to
Presbyterianism and the teachings of John Knox.    James' first cousin was a personal friend
of the fiery preacher who wrote The First Blast of the Trumpet against the Monstrous Regime of Women
It seems possible that these visits related to attempts by Mary to find an accord with the man who would ultimately bring about her downfall and deprive her son, the future
James VI of Scotland and I of England, of his mother.

James (by Elizabeth Meldrum) 1536-29 March 1580, marred twice (1) Elizabeth Betoun, contract 21 May 1561 and (2) Isabel Strang on 25 December 1569

James, born 1566 at Cruvy (by Elizabeth Betoun), died April 1574 without children

William, born about 1572 at St Monance, died October 1644, (by Isabel Strang) half-brother of James.  Married, before June 1593, to Jean Bothwell (born 1564, Orkney Scotland, died 10 February 1625)

James, born about 1591, St Monance, Fife, died 1644-45, died 1644-45. Between 5 and 8 August 1620 married Agnes Carnegie 1606-1637.

James, born 1623 St Monans and died after 27 February 1666-7.  He married twice (1) Jean Crichton Lichtoun 4 August 1643 whom he subsequently divorced, and (2) Christian Fletcher, marriage contract dated 18 October 1663.  In the few years between his father’s death and 1649, he went through the family’s wealth and was forced to sell the castle and properties of St Monance.

 

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Leslie

General Sir David (c1639-1682), bought the castle in 1649, husband of Anna Yorke; created Lord Newark by Charles II, 1661

 
from the collection of Stalker Castle

 David, Lord Newark II, born about 1667
 

Jean, eldest daughter, died 21 February 1739/40.  After her father’s death 
she assumed the title of Baroness Newark and passed the title on to her eldest son  

View Family Tree

View Enlarged Family Tree

 

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Anstruther 

Alexander, married Jean Leslie, 8 March 1694, died 1743(?)

John, “the younger”, nephew of Alexander, purchased the Newark Castle of St Monance from his uncle when he was in financial difficulty in 1725.  Born 1678, Anstruther, Fife, died 21 September 1753, Elie House, Fifeshire, married Margaret Carmichael 24 January 1716, Midlothian, Scotland

John, born 27 December 1728, Edinburgh, died 4 July 1799, married Janet Fall, 4 October 1750, Midlothian, Scotland

John, christened 27 March 1753, Elie, died 26 January 1811, Albermarle Street.  Married Maria Isabella Brice about 1784

Wyndham Carmichael- born 9 March 1793, Lincolns Inn, St Clement Danes, died 15 September 1869, Boulogne.  Wyndham married three times (1) Meredith Maria Wetherell, 1824, (2) Anne Constance Grey, 10 May 1841, Westraw, Pettinain, Lincolnshire, Scotland, (3) Mary Anne Parsons, 30 September 1859.  He sold the castle and all the St Monance and Elie properties to the Baird family.

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Baird

Purchased castle and all Elie, St. Monance & Inverie estates in the mid-19th century

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Thompson

Purchased extensive farming property and the castle in the early 20th century

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Crewe & Nelson         

Purchased castle in 2000 for the purpose of research and restoration .




 The castles new family gathered at a wedding July 2000

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