8 Anniversary Address. 



Sir Robert Gordoun of Lochinvar sold the lands and baron}' 

 of Stichill, with the manor, mill, mill lands, etc., to John 

 Belsches, advocate, with reservation, on the 26th August 1610.^ 

 James VI. confirms this sale by a Charter of date loth February 

 1615. Again, on 13th July 1621, James VI. grants a Charter 

 to the said John Belsches of the same lands, mentioning the 

 fort, 'cum earum fortalicio,' though this may be only the 

 customary language of a Charter.'^ 



Sir John Gordon was the last representative of the family in 

 Stichill. Succeeding his father in 1628, he sold Stichill, (which 

 was the ancient inheritance of his family), and is said to have 

 given the price of it in a purse to the Duke of Buckingham, in 

 the hope that he would influence Charles I. in favour of his 

 claim to the Earldom of Gowrie, in right of his mother, Lady 

 Isabel Euthven, the dauj^hter of the first Lord Gowrie. ^- 

 TJnfoitunately for hira, the Duke was murdered by Felton on 

 the night following, 23rd August 1628, and consequently both 

 estate and money were lost. 



From him, and John Belsches of Tofts, advocate, Robert 

 Pringle of Bartingbush bought the estate on 26th April 1628.^^ 

 Charles I., on 31st July 1628, granted him a Charter of 

 Confirmation. It remained in possession of his descendants 

 until the trustees of the late Sir John Pringle sold it to the 

 late David Baird, Esq, of Stichill, in 1854. 



In addition to these Lairds of the Parish, several individuals 

 seemed to have owned properties in it from time to time. 

 Robert Hopper, on 26th February 1600, inherits from his 

 father two husband lands (26 acres) in Nether Stichill, which 

 were Kirklands, with the pasturage ' in the town, territory, and 

 lordship of Stichill.' Extent, 45s.^* The Rev. David Courtie, 

 who was minister (161 3-55) states that of the five Kirklands * twa 

 quhairof is possesst be Robert Hoppar haldine af the pryorie of 

 Eccles payand thairfoir xxxv schillingis at tua terms togidder 

 with X schillingis reservit furth af his richtis to the Lairds 

 of Lochinvar. Twa possesst be Robert Pringill af Blindlie 

 haldine af the viccar becaus thai ar viccaris landis and confermit 



30 Reg. Mag. Sig., Vol. 1615-16, p. 502, No. 1387. 



31 Do. Vol. 1620-33, p. 64, No. 202. 



32 Douglas's Peerage (Wood) v. Gordon, Vol. ii., p. 24. 



33 Reg. Mag. Sig., Vol. 1620-33, p. 447, No. 1304, 

 3* Retours, Roxbarghshire, No. 8. 



