Craigmillar Castle — Its Historical Associations. 27 



at the Battle of Durham in 1346, and was confined 

 for a long time in the Tower of London. Sir John 

 obtained from David II. charters of the lands of 

 Gorton, and also of lands in Fife and Perthshire. 

 His son was the Symon de Preston already referred 

 to. Though there is some doubt as to who really 

 were Sir Symon's children, there is every reason to 

 believe that he was the father of George de Preston, 

 who, again, was the father of John Preston of Craig- 

 millar and Gorton, from whom the Prestons of 

 Craigmillar were descended. The Prestons of Valley- 

 field sprang from the same family, though the precise 

 period at which they branched off is a matter of 

 some dispute. As already mentioned, the Preston 

 Arms — a shield bearing the heads of three unicorns — 

 are found four times on the walls of Craigmillar. 

 The same emblem appears in St Giles' Cathedral, 

 William Preston being recognised as a benefactor of 

 that church. In the reign of James II. this William 

 Preston seems to have gone to France, and, with the 

 aid of King Charles VII. and other magnates, to have 

 obtained a precious relic — the arm-bone of St Giles. 



