GORDON, Elizabeth ^{1 2}

   User ID: G991.

  Research Notes:

PARENTS

This is a speculative placing without hard evidence.

'Tam of Ruthven', an illegitimate son of Sir John Gordon, and cousin to the heiress Elizabeth who married Alexander Seton, married the daughter of the laird of Aswanley, or, if they did not actually marry, they had children together.

The marriage to a daughter of this family would explain this branch of the Calders link to Alexander Seton and his wife Elizabeth Gordon, the heiress. The story of Hutcheon Calder, the Battle of Brechin and the silver cup reflect at least a folk memory of this link. There is documentary proof that Sir Alexander Seton, Earl of Huntly, did in 1440 by charter grant the lands of Aswanley to Hugh Calder, son of Alexander Calder, a grant confirmed by King James II in 1450.

Elizabeth married Hugh CALDER of Aswanley, son of Alexander CALDER and Unknown, by 31 August 1440(charter).^{1 2} (Hugh CALDER of Aswanley was born about 1412.)

  Marriage Notes:

"In addition to Cawdor Castle, the Calders built Asloune Castle sometime during the 1500's. Little remains of the Z-plan tower house except one tower. Its ruins are located about two miles south and west of Alford, SCT on a minor road west of A980 and just north of Strow Burn. In 1440 the Calders acquired Aswanley House from the Gordons, a long low L-plan building of two stories and a garret with a round stair-tower projecting from the main block and enclosed by a courtyard. It is located about seven miles west of Huntly, on a minor road south of A920, near the River Deveron 1.5 miles east of Haus (Haugh) of Glass, Mains of Aswanley." [....]


"Tradition mentions a son, Hutcheon or Hugh Calder, who in 1452 attended Alexander, earl of Huntly, the King's Lieutenant, in his expedition against the earls of Crawford of Finhaven and Douglas, then in rebellion, and Huntly having routed the forces of these two earls at the battle of Brechin. Hutcheon, too eager in the pursuit, was taken prisoner by the enemy, and brought to Finhaven, whither Crawford had retired. Being alarmed while at supper with the news of Huntly's approach, he fled with such precipitation that Hutcheon and several other prisoners made their escape. Hutcheon carried off the silver cup out of which Crawford drank, and presented it to Huntly at Brechin as a sure evidence of Crawford's flight, for which service (according to the History of the family of Gordon), Huntly, upon his return home, gave him the lands of Asswanly, county of Banff, and George Duke of Gordon gave to his successor a massive silver cup gilded, whereon the history of the transaction was engraved.

From Hutcheon was supposed to have descended the family of Calder, baronet of Muirtoune. However, in a note appended by the late Admiral Sir Robert Calder, baronet, to a copy of 'Nisbet's Heraldry' in the Advocates' library, the appendix to which contains an account of the family of Calder, it is stated that

'the Calders of Asswanly were not descended from Hutcheon, son of Donald thane of Calder, nor has the grant of the lands of Asswanly any reference to the battle of Brechin, which was fought on the 18th May 1452, twelve years after the date of the grant of these lands of Asswanly, as appears by a charter of confirmation from the King, dated in Edinburgh 8th July 1450, of the grant of the lands of Asswanly, by Sir Alexander Setoune to Hugh Calder, son and heir of Alexander Calder, and his spouse Elizabeth Gordonne, dated at Elgin, the last day of August 1440.'

The note is dated Edinburgh, 29th September 1802, and the original charter was stated to be in possession of the said Rear-admiral Sir Robert Calder."

from Caddell, Calder and Cawdor: the family name in Scotland ¹