MEMORIALS OF ANGUS AND THE MEARNS by ANDREW JERVISE F.S.A.

PAGES 88 - 89

THE GLENESKS OF GLENESK

The Family De Glenesk - The Stirlings - The Lindsays - - -

Castle of Edzell

The surname of "Glenesk" was assumed from the valley in the north-eastern district of Forfarshire, through which runs the river North Esk.

From earliest record, the family appears to have had considerable influence and standing in the country.  The first known of the name was a knight, who is a witness to a grant by Christian Vallognes - the wife, or rather by that time the widow, of Sir Peter Maule of Panmure - of the lands of Balbinny and Panlathie to John Lydel.  This was soon after the year 1254, and in 1260 John of Glenesk, knight, appears in a charter regarding the mills of Rossie, near Montrose. Again, in 1289, he was a party to the letter of the community of Scotland, assenting to the marriage of Prince Edward of England with our Queen Margaret.

In 1296 there were four barons of the surname, probably related, and all of them did homage to King Edward.  Of these ‘JOHANNES de GLENESK, miles’, and another of the same name, but designated ‘chevalier’, appeared at Aberdeen on the 15th of July; and, in August following, Murgund and another John of Glenesk performed the same service at Berwick.

Subsequent to these events the family and name altogether disappear.  Probably they were succeeded in Glenesk by a branch of the Stirlings, for these are the next-mentioned lords of that domain; and it may be added that Nisbet appears to have confounded the one family with the other.

By what means the Stirlings acquired Glenesk is unknown; but it is certain that about the middle of the fourteenth century this branch failed in two co-heiresses, one of whom became the wife of Sir Alexander Lindsay, third son of Sir David of Crawford, and was mother of the first Earl of that celebrated family.  Catherine Stirling, or Lady Lindsay, died sometime before 1378, as previous to that date Sir Alexander married his second wife, Marjory Stuart, cousin to Robert, Duke of Albany.