REPORTS OF MEETINGS FOR 1909 55 



and fuird. In consequence of a fatal brawl between George 

 Rutherfurd of Fairnington and Haliburton of Muirhouselaw 

 about 1710 in which the latter met his death, the family 

 moved abroad, and another branch of the same name became 

 possessors. Later in the 18th century George Rutherfurd of 

 Fairnington parted with his interest in the property in favour 

 of one named J. Strother Ker, who married his widow, and 

 subsequently in 1779 sold the estate to Robert Rutherfurd, 

 foui'th son of Sir John Rutherfurd of Edgerston, who had 

 settled abroad and carried on banking and other business at 

 Leghorn. During his residence in Italy he was engaged in 

 financial and diplomatic affairs on behalf of the Empress Cath- 

 erine II. of Russia, then at war with the Turks, for which 

 services he was created a Baron of the Empire. Returning 

 to Scotland in 1777 he acquired, as already stated, the lands 

 of Fairnington where he resided continuously till his death in 

 1794. He was never married; but the land having been entailed 

 by him passed at his death to his nephew, John Rutherfurd 

 of Edgerston. The mansion was then occasionally rented, and 

 the farm let separately, a suitable house having been built 

 for the farming tenant. That house was long ago converted 

 into cottages, which were now locally known as "The saut 

 market." Prior to the succession of Charles Rutherfurd in 

 18.34, the mansion-house was occupied by the tenant of the 

 farm, and this arrangement from various irremediable causes 

 had continued to the present time. 



In old deeds frequent reference was made to the Chapel and 

 Hospital of Fairnington, and some important disputes were 

 ordered to be settled there. Within the memory of an old man 

 living about 1856 there were remains of the graveyard and 

 tombstones as recently as in the beginning of last century. No 

 trace of these was now visible, the tenant having ploughed over 

 the ancient site. The hamlet situated on the roadside at the 

 East of the House park was known as Pirnie Hall, the name 

 being believed to be derived from the industry of reel- making 

 prosecuted by its inhabitants in earlier days. No documents 

 existed to prove the date of the mansion-house ; but it was obvious 

 that the square portion on the right of the main doorway 

 had been originally a single dwelling, and judging by others of 



