Old and New Edinburgh Vol. V

All Books Kay's Originals Vol. 1 Kay's Originals Vol. 2 Memorials of Edinburgh in the Olden Time Edinburgh Past and Present Old and New Edinburgh Vol. I Old and New Edinburgh Vol. II Old and New Edinburgh Vol. III Old and New Edinburgh Vol. IV Old and New Edinburgh Vol. V Old and New Edinburgh Vol. VI

Go to: « Kay's Originals Vol. 1 « Kay's Originals Vol. 2 « Memorials of Edinburgh in the Olden Time « Edinburgh Past and Present « Old and New Edinburgh Vol. I « Old and New Edinburgh Vol. II « Old and New Edinburgh Vol. III « Old and New Edinburgh Vol. IV Old and New Edinburgh Vol. V Plates Ch 1: The Kirk of St. Mary-In-The-Fields Ch 2: The University Ch 3: The District of the Burghmuir Ch 4: District of the Burghmuir (concluded) Ch 5: The District of Newington Ch 6: The Valley of the Water of Leith Ch 7: Valley of the Water of Leith (continued) Ch 8: Valley of the Water of Leith (concluded) Ch 9: Canonmills and Inverleith Ch 10: The Western New Town Ch 11: Corstorphine Ch 12: The Old Edinburgh Clubs Ch 13: The District of Restalrig Ch 14: Portobello Ch 15: Leith Walk Ch 16: Leith Walk (concluded) Ch 17: Leith - Historical Survey Ch 18: Leith - Historical Survey (continued) Ch 19: Leith - Historical Survey (continued) Ch 20: Leith - Historical Survey (continued) » Old and New Edinburgh Vol. VI

56 OLD AND NEW EDINBURGH. [Przstonfield. Cunninghams, baronets of 1677, according to Burke. Prior to coming into possession of the present family, the estate belonged of old to the Hamiltons, one of whom, Thomas, fell at Flodden in ?513. In 1607 Thomas Hamilton of Prestonfield became a Lord of Session, and on assuming his seat, took an oath ?that neither directly nor indirectly he had procured the place by gold or silver.? The property seems to have been sometimes =!led Priestfield. Thus Balfour records that ? Sr* Alexander Hamilton, brother to Thomas, first Earle Elacket Place, is Newington House, the residence of Duncan McLaren, Esq., long one of the city members, and who, beyond all other Scottish representatives, has been a champion for Scottish interests. He ?was born in 1800, and was Lord Provost of Edinburgh from 1851 to 1854, and is the father of John McLaren, who was made a Lord of Session in 1881. It is the largest and principal mansion in this part of the town. Opposite the west end of the Mayfield Loan is Duddingston, had to fly to Paris, where he became chaplain to Cardinal de Retz ; and in after years it passed into possession of the present family, when ? James Dick, a merchant of great eminence and wealth, having purchased the lands of Priestfield, or Prestonfield,? was created a baronet of Nova Scotia, 2nd March, 1677. Four years afterwards, on the morning of the I Ith January, his house, ?( under the south front of Arthur?s Seat,? was burnt down. Political circumstances, according to Chambers, gave importance to ~ this, which would otherwise have been a trivial land, a man of rare spirit and a very valiant souldiour, departed this lyffe at Priestfield, neire Edinburghe, 26th November, 1649.? He had served with distinction under Gustavus Adolphus, and was familiarly known among the soldiers as ? dear Sandy,? and as the constructor of certain field-pieces for the Covenanters, who stigmatised them as ? stoups.? It was for an alleged intrigue with Anne Hepburn, the lady of Sir James Hamilton of Preston- PRESTONFIELD HOUSE.

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