URQUHART, William of Burdsyards ^{2 3}

   User ID: Z209.

  Research Notes:

URQUHART OF BURDSYARDS

"The family of Urquhart of Burdsyards occupied a very respectable position as proprietors in Morayshire, for many generations. Sir Robert Douglas intended to publish .an account of them in the second volume of the Baronage of Scotland, but which, unfortunately, owing to his death, never passed through the press. I have therefore been only able to gather a few scattered gleanings about them. They were a branch of the ancient family of Cromarty. The first of them I find Douglas' any account of was Thomas Urquhart, second son of John Urquhart of Cromarty, by his wife, Agnes, Baronage, p.161. daughter of Sir Alexander Ramsay, ancestor of the Earl of Dalhousie. He was appointed captain and keeper of the Castle of Tarnua (Darnaway), by charter from Thomas Earl of Moray, dated 1402. He purchased some parks and yards about the town of Forres, which acquired the name of the Shaw, page 113. Burgh Yards, or, as anciently spelt, "Burtyards." In an indenture between William Thane of Calder and Hugh Rose, Baron of Kilravock, dated Forres, 21st June, 1482, Alexander Urquhart of Registrum, Burdsyards is a witness." (footnote, page 568)

from Annals of Elgin ⁴

William married Janet BROWN 'of Coulston' in 1531.¹ (Janet BROWN 'of Coulston' was born about 1510.)

  Marriage Notes:

"Alexander Cumyn married, secondly, Janet, daughter of George Brown, Baron of Coalston, and widow of William Urquhart of Burdsyards. - Charter in Public Archives."

"Nov. 21 1541
A charter (confirmed by another charter, 1st December 1542) from this Alexander to Janetae Brown, relictae quandam Willielmi Urquhard de Burdsyards, nunc spousae Alexandri Cuming de Altyr, in vitale redditu et hasredibus inter ipsos Alexandrum et Janetam legitime procreand : quibus deficien hseredibus dicti Alexandri quibuscunque, de totis et integris terras dominicalibus de Dollas &c." (page 460)

from Bruces and Cumyns ³