THE WOLF'S DEN
WEIRD HISTORY
The name Weir, like many
lowland Scottish names, is of Norman origin from one or several of the
places named Vere around the Calvados region of France. The word was introduced
into Normandy by the Norsemen from their own word "ver" meaning a station.
It appears that Ralph or Radulphus de Ver is the first of the name recorded
in Scotland. He was taken prisoner along with Richard the Lion in 1174;
he later witnessed a charter by King William I sometime between 1174 and
1184. During the same period he gifted a bovate of land in Sprouston, Roxburgh
to the Abbey of Kelso; his brother, Robert de Ver, was a witness to this
charter. The Weirs of Blackwood, Lanarkshire, claim their descent from
this Ralph de Ver, although this cannot be proven as their name does not
appear on record until 1400 when they acquired their lands. Other Weirs
were vassals of the Abbots of Kelso and as such held extensive lands in
Lesmahagow. Some of the MacNairs in Cowal anglicized their name to Weir
or Veir, the Gaelic original being Mac Amhaoir; the "mh" is pronounced
"v". MacAmhaoir has been extinct as a name for about two hundred years
and the anglicization into Weir may well have contributed to its disappearance.
William Weir was created 1st Viscount Weir in 1938; he had been Secretary
of State and Chairman of the Air Council in 1918 and industrial adviser
to the Ottawa Conference in 1932. The best remembered of the Weirs is Major
Thomas Weir of Kirktown c.1600-1670, the "Bowheaded Saint". Born in Lanarkshire,
he was a lieutenant in the army sent by the Covenanters to protect the
Ulster colonies in 1641. Later he was a major in Lanark's Regiment and
was appointed to command the City Guard of Edinburgh. Outwardly he portrayed
himself as a religious man, but was secretly addicted to various crimes
and deviations. He confessed at the age of 70 and along with his sister
was burned alive for witchcraft in 1670.