Bannatyne Club > Origines parochiales Scotiae > Volume 1

170 ORIGINES [CRAWFORD.
grants which James of Lyndesay, the son and heir of the deceased Sir James of Lyndesay knight,
made to William Tailfer, of the land of Hareclouche, and of the yearly rent of thirteen shillings
and fourpence, from the fermes of the land of Sludelok, in the barony of Crawforde Lyndesay.^
King Robert II., in the year 1377, confirmed a charter by King David II., in the year 1357,
granting or confirming to John of Allint'm, his clerk, all the lands in the barony of Crauford
Lyndesay which aforetime belonged to Richard of Rothirford, and were then in the King's hands
by reason of the forfeiture of William of Rothirford, his son and heir. The lands were to hold
of the overlord.- There were other vassals in the territory, in wLich also the crown seems to have
had lands until a recent period.^
Notice of the castle of Crawford is found so early as between the years 1175 and 1178.'' It is
described by AVishaw at the beginning of the last century as ' a square court with much lodging
in it, lying upon the river Clyde, just opposite to the kirk and town of Crawfurd.'^ It bad its
hereditary captain or constable. In the year 1595 John Carmichael of Medowflat (in the parish
of Covington,) was served heir to bis great grandfather, John Carmichael, in the keeping of the
castle of Crawfurd Douglas, with its mills, and in the oflace of baillie of the lands and barony of
Crawfurd Douglas.^ From his descendant, the Captain of Crawford, the edifice was purchased by
William the first Marquis of Douglas, who ' added much new building to the old castle.' ^
The bailiary of Crawford in the year 1479 belonged to James lord Hamilton, who was found en-
titled to recover from John Lindissay of Colvinton, his deputy in the oflice, the value of the profits
and escheats underwritten : fourteen seisin oxen, four cows, twelve wedders of a bloodwyt ; five
cushions out of the castle, eleven pieces of pewter vessels, three score stones of wool ; a cow, of a
deforcement ; a salt mart, a mask fat, three ' mate gudis,' three oxen hides, two crooks also out of
the castle of Crawford ; besides six pounds for fines of greenwood, muirburn, deforcements, and
others.*
The village is said to have been erected into a burgh of barony in the reign of King William
the Lion. It certainly possessed burghal privileges in the reign of his successor. Gerard of
Lynddesay, in a charter which is confirmed by King Alexander II., reserves from his grant to the
Cistercians of Newbottle, the right of his burgesses of Crauford, according to their common charter,
to the easement of the woods of Glengoner, but for purposes of building only, and at the sight of
the abbey's forester.^ The charter here referred to seems also to have conveyed to the burgesses
a portion of land to be held by them in common of the lord of the manor. In the year 1790, the
township contained twenty ' freedoms,' which until fifteen years before that time were cultivated
in the way of ' run rig.' Each freedom consisted of four or five acres, made up of parcels of every
kind and quality of land within the township ; and the holder, whom the popular speech styled a
' laird,' and his wife a ' lady,"" had the right of pasturing so many sheep, cows, and horses on the
hill or burgh common. Besides these burgesses, there was a subordinate rank of sub-vassals, who
Regist. Mag. Sig., p. G7, no. 226. ^ Descript. of Lanark., p. 61.
Regist. Mag. Sig., p. 149, no. 107. *■ Descript. of Lanark., p. 60. ^ Retour, no. S.
Wishaw's Descript. of Lanark., pp. 60-62. ^ Act. Dom. Concil., p. 33.
Lib. Cart. S. Crucis, p. 4"3. ' Regist. de Neubot., foil, xxxi, xxxii, xxxiii.