CRICHTON, William of Dryfesdale, 1st of Sanquhar ¹

   Other names for William were William of Crichton,^{2 3} William de Creightoun ¹ and DE CREYCHTOUN, William.¹

   User ID: J43.

  General Notes:

"In 1337 William de Creychtoun had temporary possession of the lands of Berriedale in Caithness, and also of the barony of Kinblethmont." (page 54)

"Along with a number of other Dumfriesshire magnates, William de Creghtoun, dominus de Dryuesdal, is witness to a charter dated at Mousfald (Mousewald) 13 December 1361, by David II. in favour of John de Carrotheris." (page 55)

"The family dealt with in this article seems to have been closely and continuously connected with the place from which it took its name (i.e. Crichton), certainly from the thirteenth century. Various members of the family acquired lands in other parts of Scotland, notably in the sheriffdom of Dumfries, and appear to have taken different sides in the wars of independence. The acquisition of Sanquhar was certainly due to a marriage, and it may reasonably be concluded that Dryfesdale came into their hands in the same way. For the arms, argent, a chief and saltire azure, which Sir David Lyndsay figures as those of 'Lord Boyis of Dryvisdaill of Auld,' i.e. the family of Boyes, de Bosco or Wood appear on a seal of the Chancellor appended to a deed of 1449, and were also used by his descendants." (page 56)

from Scots Peerage (vol 3) ¹

William married Isabel.^{1 2} (Isabel was born about 1302.)

  Marriage Notes:

"Relationship: Bride/betrothed (f.) (sponsa)

Subject: Isabel, wife of William of Crichton

From Source: 1/53/526 (RMS, i, App. 1, no. 56)

Firm date: 25 March 1306 X 7 June 1329

Probable date:24 June 1314 ×

Dating Notes: inauguration × death of King Robert I; prob. after battle of Bannockburn"

from poms website




"From a charter by King Robert I. to Richard Edgar, also supposed to be dated circa 1320, of the manor place and one-half of the barony of Sanchar, it appears that the other half of the barony pertained to William de Crechton and Isabella, his wife, as heirs-portioners with Richard Edgar of the said barony. This lady is generally said to have been one of the two daughters of the last Ros or de Ros of Sanquhar, while the family of Edgar claim descent from her elder sister. In the war with Edward Baliol and Edward in. this William de Crichton seems to have remained faithful to the patriotic cause, for in 1335-36 one-half of the barony of Sennewhare is said to have been in the hands of the English King by reason of the forfeiture of William de Creghton, as well as two acres in Creghton for the same reason. This latter circumstance suggests that, at all events, at that time the lands of Crichton generally did not belong to William de Crechton, and the inference is confirmed by other entries in the same volume which narrate how along with Coldene and Dalkeith, the lands of Crichton had been forfeited by John de Graham, and how his widow Isabella had been allowed a dower out of them by Edward." (pages 53 and 54)

"William Crichton, who may have been a younger son of Alexander Crichton, named in the homage roll of 1296, was the first of his family to possess the lands of Sanquhar, from which his successors afterwards took the title of Lord Sanquhar, which they held for several generations. He however only held the half of the whole barony, which was divided between him and Richard Edgar, the latter getting also the chief messuage of the lands, as the husband of the elder of two heiresses, while Crichton married the younger.

His half of the barony was valued at the then considerable sum of one hundred merks yearly, as appears from an Exchequer account of King Edward III. in 1335, when it was forfeited owing to Crichton adhering to the patriotic party in Scotland, but the land brought no revenue to the English king, as it was then waste. William Crichton, of whom nothing more is recorded, married a lady named Isabella. Her surname is said to have been Ross, but her identity has not been certainly discovered. The chief direct evidence at present is that the 'water budgets' of Ross formed part of the armorial bearings of the Crichtons of Sanquhar as distinguished from the other families of the name. The next possessor on record of the lands of Sanquhar is Edward Crichton" (pages 210 and 220)

from Scots Peerage (vol 3)

Note:

The article says 'The next possessor on record of the lands of Sanquhar is Edward Crichton'. Documents at this time are scarce, and it is not clear if the line was in fact father to son. The dating suggests there may have been an additional generation between William and Edward. ^{1 2}