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Single Person record details
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Back
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Person Code
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NA17349
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Family Name
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Barclay
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Territorial Designation
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of Collairnie
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Dates
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c1350-1851
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Epithet
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family
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Activity
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Collairnie is situated in Dunbog Parish, 7 miles north west of Cupar, Fife. The estate is mentioned first in the Registrum Vetus Aberbrothoc in 1249. It is known to have been in the possession of the Barclay family by 1350, and was held by them as vassals of the Leslie lords of the barony of Ballinbreich, later earls of Rothes. John de Berclay (1372-1398) died without issue and the estate was inherited by his nephew, William Barclay, who also inherited the lands of Kilmaron from his father, Hugh. William, was succeeded by his eldest son, David Barclay in 1418. David, 5th laird, who died c 1453, acquired the lands of Kinnimonth, in Kinglassie parish, Fife, through his marriage to Helen, daughter of John Spittell of Kinnimonth. His son, David, was the 6th Barclay laird of Collairnie and died c 1466. He was succeeded by his son David, 7th laird of Collarnie, who died before 1503. He was succeeded by his son, David Barclay, a minor who was born c 1489. The barony of Ballinbreich was recognosced (confiscated) by James IV owing to excessive unlicensed alienation (selling off) of the lordship's territory by the earl of Rothes. The earl was later able to redeem the barony, but in the interim his superiority over the tenement of Collairnie was lost: in 1510 the lands of Collairnie were confirmed to David Barclay, to be held directly of the crown. In 1536 his son, David, succeeded him and in the same year the abbot and convent of Lindores granted David the bailiary of the abbey of Lindores - an heritable office which survived the reformation and remained in the family until 1748.
In 1540 James V favoured David Barclay by erecting Collairnie and his other nearby properties into a single barony of Collairnie. David was killed at the battle of Pinkie in 1547 and was succeeded by his son, David Barclay who married firstly Elizabeth Bethune of Creich and then Margaret Wemyss, daughter of Sir John Wemyss of Wemyss. He was a supporter of Mary, Queen of Scots, and fought at the battle of Langside. He died in 1587. He was succeeded by his son, David Barclay, MA (St Andrews) who married Helen Balfour, daughter of Sir James Balfour of Pittendreich and sister of Michael , 1st lord Balfour of Burleigh. He died in 1613 and was succeeded by his son, David, the 12th laird of Collairnie who was knighted by Charles I in 1633. He was appointed a justice of the peace in 1634 and in 1644 joined the Estates army and became a colonel in the following year. He resisted the imposition of episcopacy in 1651and fell into disfavour. After his death his second wife and widow Anne Riddell was denounced as a rebel for both their covenanting sympathies in 1656. The succession then passed to Robert, his son by his first marriage to Euphemia Leslie. He was appointed in 1649 colonel of the horse and foot for the presbytery of Cupar. He was included in Cromwell's act of grace and pardon. His estates were however encumbered by debt. He married in 1654 Marion, daughter and co-heiress of Sir James Scott of Rossie, Fife and widow of Maj.-Gen. Sir John Brown of Fordell. Robert died in 1663. James, his oldest son became the 13th laird of Collairnie but was underage at 8 years old and was evicted from the barony by his half-uncle John in 1672 because of the debts due on the estate. James died before 1681 without issue and his brother Thomas claimed the barony as heir-male. His claim was unsuccessful and the property passed to his cousin, Antonia. John Barclay, his uncle died in 1708 and Thomas, himself died in 1734 aged c44 years. The estate was sold in 1789 to Dr Francis Balfour, third son of Arthur Balfour of Fernie. The burying place of the Barclays was Creich Old Kirkyard. The baronetcy of Collairnie became extinct in 1851 following the death of Sir Henry Steuart Barclay of Coltness.
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NonPreferredTerm
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Barclay of Colleirnie
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Notes
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Connolly, 'Eminent Men of Fife'; C Barclay 'History of the Barclay Family'
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Associated records
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