Biggar and the House of Fleming

EARLY CONTERMINOUS PROPRIETORS. 609
James VI., as some compensation for the services which Sir
James had performed, and the losses which he had sustained in
defending the cause of his mother, Queen Mary, with the ad-
vice of his Parliament, erected Skirling, in the year 1592, into
a free burgh of barony, 'with all the easements, liberties, and
commodities in as ample and large form as any burgh of barony
within this realm, with power to keep and proclaim a fair to
be observed within the said burgh on the fourth of September
yearly, and a market day weekly upon Friday. At that period,
however, Sir James Cockburn had paid the debt of nature, and
his son William possessed the estate of Skirling. This baron
was succeeded by his son William, as we find from a ' Re tour '
that he was returned heir of his father, on the 20th December
1603, of the lands and barony of Skirling, the £20 lands of
Roberton and Newholm, and the £10 lands of ' Heidis,' all of
old extent, annexed to the barony of Skirling. This was the
last proprietor of Skirling of the name of Cockburn. He dis-
posed of this estate in 1621, to Alexander Peebles of Middle-
ton, Advocate, whose daughter and heiress married Sir John
Hamilton of Trabroun, third son of Thomas, Earl of Hadding-
ton. This couple having fallen into debt, were under the ne-
cessity of disposing of the estate to Sir James Hamilton of
Broomhill. This gentleman, in 1641, sold it to James Living-
ston for £5000. After passing through several hands, it came
about the beginning of last century into the possession of John
Carmichael, first Earl of Hyndford. This Earl died in 1710,
and was succeeded by his eldest son James, who sold the Skir-
ling estate to his brother William, in 1724, for the sum of
£7109. John, the eldest son of William, was the next Laird
of Skirling, and on the death of John, third Earl of Hyndford, in
1767, succeeded to the Hyndford title and estates ; and, on the
death of his brother James, became also proprietor of the lands
of Hailes, near Edinburgh. This nobleman died without issue,
in 1787, and his paternal property of Skirling was inherited by
his grand-nephew, Sir John Gibson, Bart., who, in virtue of the
obligations of the entail, assumed the surname of Carmichael.
Sir John Gibson Carmichael was succeeded by his brother Sir
Thomas, who died in 1849. Sir Thomas's third son, Sir
William-Henry, is at present the proprietor of Skirling.
2 Q