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

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from Patrick Hering, in favour of Archibald Wauchop of Niddrie-Merschell, and
is dated 4th Feb. 1498.
As already stated, a family of the name of Nudrie appears to have preceded
the Wauchopes in at least the three-part lands of Niddrie-Merschell — the date of
their last charter of confirmation being 18th Oct. 1364. Yet the Wauchopes may
have been contemporaneous in the " twa pairt lands." The first to whom a
charter appears is Gilbert Wauchop, who had a charter of " the lands of Niddery,"
from Robert III., who began to reign in 1390. It is possible that he was not the
first of the family in possession of lands in Niddrie. His immediate predecessors
may have been King's or ecclesiastical tenants.* Thomas Wauchope, mentioned
in the Ragman Rolls in 1296, for instance, is described as a holder from the
Bishop of St Andrews, in the county of Edinburgh; and the idea might be still
farther pushed. In "the La wis of the Merchis betuix Scotland and England,"
1249, the name of Robertus de Walevohope occurs along with Henricus de Brade,
Alanus de Newbigging, &c, parties evidently belonging to the county of Edin-
burgh. Thus the Robert of 1249 might have been the father of Thomas of
1296, and Thomas the father of Gilbert of 1390.f
The lands of Niddrie-Merschell consisted, as they do at the present time, of
the two and third parts ; but additions to the family inheritance continued to be
made from time to time. Archibald, who stands third in the genealogical account,
seems to have been pretty successful in this respect. He acquired the crown lands
of Pilmuir, in Currie parish, about 1489 ; the two merk land of Gilmerton, in
1493 ; and the three husband lands, called Boggis lands, in 1503.J The acqui-
sition of land was the ruling object in early times, and it frequently led to lasting
feuds. On the 16th March 1490, David Hepburn of Wauchtoune appeared before
the Lords of Councd, and " become lawborough " for himself and son that " Archi-
bald Wauchope of Niddrie and his sone and apperand are salbe harmles and
scathles of thaim," and submit to the cause of law. The misunderstanding
between the families sprang out of their rival claims to the " twa third parts " of
* It may be worth noticing here that the teinds of Niddrie were Bishop's teinds. By the erection
of the See of Edinburgh, in 1633, part of the Bishop's patrimony was " Totas et integras parochias
ecclesiasticas de Whitekirk, St Cuthbert's, Libertoun," &c. There is a discharge by Mr James Aiken -
head, factor to the Rev. Father in God, George, Bishop of Edinburgh, to Sir John Wauchope of Niddrie
for teind tack duties, 1666, 67, 68, and 1669, dated 15th Nov. 1670. George Wisheart was consecrated
Bishop of Edinburgh, 1st June 1662, and died 1671. Mr Aikenhead, who grants the discharge, was
his factor.
f A Thomas Walchope had a charter from Robert II. " Carta Thomae de Walchope, de decern
libris sterlinen. annuatim, per manus camerarij." Methven, 4th Sept. 1378. This Thomas was most
likely of the Aberdeen branch of the Wauchopes.
X Niddrie Charter Chest.