Adam Forrester of Corstorphine

FORRESTER

1. ADAM-

m.1. Agnes Dundas of Dundas
2. MARGARET ______
d. 13 Oct. 1405 Corstorphine

The name "Corstorphine" is a bit of a mystery and probably is derived from "Cross of Torphin" from Torfin, the grandson of Malcolm II, or from Torphin, an archdeacon of Lothian who is said to have built a cross there. Corstorphine was held by William More of Abercorne, who left it to his brother, Gilchrist More, by whom it was sold to Adam Forester who became the principal family of the village whose large manor can still be seen on the High Street.

Forrester Manor and the Forrester Arms- Corstorphine

Adam's home, Corstorphine Castle, was built in the 14th century an was in ruins by the end of the 18th century and does not exist today. The only remnant of the castle is the 16th century dovecote which stands alongside Dovecot Road and has over a thousand pigeon holes for the birds to nest in. This was an important source of meat for the manor.

Dovecot- Corstorphine

Adam was a wealthy burgess of Edinburgh in the 1360s when he began to acquire land in the vicinity including Nether Liberton, Whitburn and Niddry. Adam had acquired a large fortune by trading with England and in the Rotuli Scotiae there is a license for him to bring in grain to Scotland without payment of any duty.

Between 1374 and 1377 King Robert II confirmed Adam Forester, a burgess of Edinburgh, in the lands of the Lordship of Corstorphine (1), which had previously been owned by William More of Abercorn.

Adam was Provost of Edinburgh during the 1370's and 80's and by 1388 he was Deputy Chamberlain of Scotland. He was also Sheriff of Edinburgh and Lothian in 1382. Robert III appointed him Keeper of the Great Seal in 1390. The Exchequer Rolls list many payments to Sir Adam in payment for his services to the king including that of "Custumar" which made him responsible for collecting the customs duties. Between 1391 and 1404 he was involved in negociating treaties between England and Scotland on seven different occasions.

He was taken prisoner at the battle of Homildon Hill on 14 Sept. 1402 and was quickly ransomed. Adam was presented to King Henry IV at the full Parliament and made a speech declaring the advantages of a solid and durable peace between the two countries. He was knighted for his services about this time.

Adam obtained permission from the Abbot and Chapter of Holyrood to found a votive chapel dedicated to St. John the Baptist, connected to the church of St. Mary, the parish church of Corstorphine, and to provide funds to maintain three Chaplains. The chapel was certainly within the present church and was probably in the nave joining the south transept. After Adam's death, Margaret increased the endowments to the chapel by providing the funds to support two additional chaplains and two choir boys.

Issue-

  • 2I. JOHN- m.1. c.1392 MARGARET ______, 2. Jean St. Clair, 3. Marian Stewart (m.1. Sir John Stewart of Jedworth), d. 1448 Corstorphine
  • II. Thomas- of Drylaw
  • III. Agnes- m. Sir George de Dundas

    (1) National Archives of Scotland- C2/R v. 49

    "The Scottish Nation"- William Anderson, A. Fullarton & Co., Edinburgh, 1880- Vol. II, p. 250


    2I. JOHN (ADAM 1)

    m.1. c.1392 MARGARET ______
    2. Jean St. Clair, d. of Earl of Orkney
    3. Marian Stewart (m.1. Sir John Stewart of Jedworth), d. of Sir Walter Stewart of Garlies
    d. 1448 Corstorphine

    John obtained a charter to the Corstorphine estate from William More of Abercorne on 22 Mar. 1392, probably on the occasion of his marriage.

    Sir John Forrester of Corstorphine succeeded his father upon his death as deputy chamberlain of the southern part of Scotland and of the entire kingdom after 1408 and functioned as Lord High Chamberlain during the Earl of Buchan's absence in France. He obtained a grant of the barony of Ochtertyre in 1407 from Henry Sinclair, Earl of Orkney and obtained an annuity of 12 merks yearly out of the coal works in Dysart, till repaid 30 nobles "which he lent the said earl in his great necessity."

    In 1416 he was appointed one of the commissioners to treat with the English concerning the release of King James I. Upon his return, King James appointed John the first Master of the Household, Magister Hospitii. He was Keeper of the Great Seal in 1420 and by 1424 he was Chamberlain of Scotland and was sent on embassies to Flanders and England.

    John was granted various lands, mostly in West Lothian, in 1426 which were united into the barony of Liberton. In Perth on 4 February 1431 James I confirmed him in the house and lands of Corstorphine which would be thereafter known as the Barony of Corstorphine.

    In 1429 he founded the collegiate church of Corstorphine, which forms part of today's parish kirk of St. John the Baptist. He provided for a provost, five prebendaries and two singing boys. Confirmation of the foundation of this collegiate church was granted in 1444 by Pope Eugenius and is marked by a tablet to Nicholas Bannatyne, who was the first provost serving until 1473. The church of St. Mary and the collegiate church of St. John the Baptist functioned side by side with the normal parish services taking place in the former and the obligations and masses stipulated in its constitution taking place in the latter. The old church of St. Mary was demolished c.1646. In 1425 John founded an altar to St. Ninian in the church of St. Gile's requiring the chaplain to say perpetual prayers for the souls of King James I and Queen Jane and for himself and Margaret his deceased wife.

    St. John the Baptist- Corstorphine

    Issue-

  • I. John- d. before 15 Sept. 1454, bur. Corstorphine church
  • II. Henry- of Liberton
  • III. Elizabeth-
  • 3IV. JANET- m. ROBERT MAXWELL (b.c.1340, d. before 8 Feb. 1410 Caerlaverock)

    Ref:

    Old and New Edinburgh- Cassell & Co., Ltd., London-Vol. V., chapter XII, p.112 ff
    "The Scottish Nation"- William Anderson, A. Fullarton & Co., Edinburgh, 1880- Vol. II, p. 250
    Article about Corstorphine from Wikipedia at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corstorphine
    The Forrester Monuments in the Church of Cortorphine- David Laing, Esq.- in the "Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland"- Vol. II, p.353ff (Jan. 1876)
    Corstorphine Old Parish Church: A Short History and Guide- S.H. Jackson, 1993


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