STRACHAN, John younger, of Lenturk ¹

   User ID: J300.

  General Notes:

"In pursuit of the old quarrel between the Forbes and the Leslies, John Strachan and John Forbes, the Master, murdered Alexander Seton of Meldrum. For his part in this crime Forbes obtained a remission from the King in 1530. Strachan who was also guilty of sacking the castle of Kildrummy and implicated in the murder of John King of Bourtie did not obtain his remission until the following year. Five years later an even more serious charge - that of conspiring to shootJames V with a culverin in the course of a visit to Aberdeen - was brought against the two men.Or rather the charge was levelled against John Forbes, and the lesser charge of foreknowledge and treasonable concealment was brought against Strachan. For this Strachan was convicted andpardoned subject to him keeping himself beyond the ' Waiter of Dee', and in the event of the King crossing the river putting a space of 12 miles between himself and his sovereign. JohnForbes however was executed."

from Tillycairn Castle




"Lynturk. - This is the only other property in the old parish of Leochel, and belonged, at an early period, to a family of the name of Strachan.

In 1407, the Regent Albany confirmed a charter by Alexander de Strathechine de Ledynturk to David Barclay de Durna of an annuity of five merks from the lands of Pitgerwy, in the Mearns. [Reg. Mag. Sigilli, p. 245.] The family kept possession of this property for about 200 years, but the crimes of John Strachan, younger of Lenturk, seem at length to have caused its downfall.

In 1526, he was art and part with John Master of Forbes in the 'cruel slaughter' of Alexander Setoun of Meldrum, for which, and for 'hereschip and spuilzie of goods and slaughter,' committed at the siege of Kildrummy with John King, younger, of Bourty, he obtained remission from the king in 1531; but, in 1537, he was again accused of participating in the alleged conspiracy of the Master of Forbes against the King's life, for which the Master was condemned and executed; while Strachan 'came in the King's will, and was warded beyond the water of Dee.' [Pitcairn's Criminal Trials, Vol. i. pp. 200,* 246.*] The whole history of this matter is singularly obscure; and there are not wanting writers who affirm, that the conspiracy was the invention of Strachan, in concert with the Earl of Huntly, in order to destroy the rival house of Forbes, with which his own had been so long at feud.

Strachan is said to have gone afterwards abroad, and to have led at Paris a most abandoned life. [Buchanan, Lesley.] He was dead before 1588, in which year his son Alexander succeeded him. But the part which he had acted drew down upon him the hostility of the Forbeses. In 1544, they invaded his lands, and slew his allies, Duguid of Auchinhive and Ross of Auchlossan; and about the end of the century, the lands of Lynturk became the property of the eldest cadet of the ancient family of Irvine of Drum."

from The New Statistical Account of Scotland (1845) ^{1 2}

  Research Notes:

BACKGROUND

1513 Battle of Flodden. James Master of Forbes was killed "to the great grief of all who knew him". John 6th Lord Forbes and most other Forbeses survived, being in Huntly's wing which escaped lightly. Great Council invited the Duke of Albany from France to become Regent: John Lord Forbes present. Lord Forbes married Elizabeth Barlow, widowed at Flodden, owner of the Lordship of Kildrummy.

1522 John Lord Forbes was the spokesman of the Anglophile Lords who refused to follow Albany's French army in invading England. In fury, Albany returned to France. The Forbeses were now political allies of the Earl of Angus, the King's step-father, who seized power in 1525.

1525 The Leslies (Balquhain, Wardes) and Meldrum invaded Aberdeen and killed 80 citizens. Shortly after, Forbes of Brux was attacked in Aberdeen by the citizens, wounded and robbed, and then prosecuted for assault. John 6th Lord Forbes captured and demolished Balquhain Castle. The Forbeses fined a vast sum.

1526 Murder of Alexander Seton of Meldrum in Aberdeen by John Master of Forbes and others.

1528 Trial of the Forbeses for Meldrum's murder by Scott of Balweary, young King James being present in Aberdeen. John Master of Forbes and John Strachan plotted to shoot the King with a culverin. Shortly before his fall, the Regent Angus granted John Lord Forbes the bailliery of the earldom of Huntly, the young earl being Angus's ward. This aggravated Huntly's animosity against the Forbeses.

from Chronology of Druminnor




KINCRAIGIE

Lynturk and Kincraigie are within 3 miles of each other in the modern Tough, Alford, Aberdeenshire. Whitehouse is a little further than than, north east of Kincraigie. ³

  Noted events in his life were:

1. feudal conflict with Forbes family, 1544. ⁴