History and genealogy of the family of Wauchope of Niddrie-Merschell

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In the M.S. notes, written by William Wauchope of Niddrie in 1700, the author
says : — " It's thought by tradition that the name of Marshall added to the tittle
of Niddrie, came from the familie having great power and possessions in the south
borders (and among the rest the parish of Wauchop), and particularly their being
Marshals in that country. Sir John Nisbet was of that opinion, and told me he
had seen an old writ which signified as much." The writer believed that "Niddrie
belonged always to the Wauchopes ; for no writ, evident, or tradition, can show
that it ever belonged to any other name." This, however, is not the fact. In the
reign of David II., Walter, the son of Augustin, burgess of Edinburgh, had a
charter of the lands of Niddrie, in the county of Edinburgh, " quhilk John Ban-
natyne of Corrokis resigned ;" and in the same reign, Henry Nuddrie had a
charter from John Bannatyne, in Corrocks, of the three part lands of Nudrie-
Merschell* The same party had a charter of confirmation from David II. of
some acres in Nudrie. Walter, son of Augustin, had another charter of the
lands of Nudrie from David II., dated 19th Sept. 1363 ;t and Henry of Nudre
had a charter of confirmation of his parts of the lands of Nudrie- Merschell, dated
Edinburgh, 18th Oct., 1364..}
Thus there had been a family, who assumed the name of Nudrie, in posses-
sion of at least a portion of the lands of Niddrie-Merschell prior, though only by
a short period, to any notice of the Wauchopes in the charters of these lands —
the first of which is to Gilbert Wauclwpe in the reign of Robert III. The rolls
of our early charters, however, are very imperfect. It must be kept in mind, at
the same time, that the demesne of Gilmerton was cultivated or farmed out by
David I., both when Prince of Cumbria, and after his succession to the Scottish
throne, and it remained in possession of the crown till the time of Robert the
Brace, so that no charters of these lands exist of an earlier date than his reign.
Those to whom they were farmed, or by whom they were held, were called the
King's tenants. For example, in August 1296, according to Prynne, Alan de
Libertoun, and David de Libertoun, the tenants of the King, in Edinburghshire,
swore fealty to Edward I. The first of the Wauchopes may therefore have come
* Robertson's Index.
f It may be said that this was not Niddrie-Merschell, but some of the other Niddries. The fact
that it was resigned by John Bannatyne in Corrocks, who also resigns the lands to Henry Nuddrie,
inclines us to think that the same Niddrie is meant- -though perhaps it did not all go under the name of
Niddrie-Merschell then as now.
* Robertson's Index. John Nudre had a charter of confirmation from Robert III. of the lands of
East Quarter of Pentland Muire, the half lands of Ernecraig, in Pentland, and in the barony of Rosline,
given by Henry, Earl of Orkney, in excambion with the place and yards of Kirk-Crawmond.