Ferniehirst Castle (8)
Sir Thomas Kerr's support for Mary Queen of Scots and also those that supported her south of the border, earned him many enemies, as a consequence of which, Ferniehirst was in ruins by 1570. His son and heir, Sir Andrew Kerr, rebuilt the castle essentially as it is now. Sir Andrew was Provost of Jedburgh for many years, but never became Warden, the office having been abolished following the Union of the Crowns. He held several Court and administrative posts, and was created Lord Jedburgh in 1622.
While Sir Andrew was busying himself with estate management and local governance, his younger half brother Robert had his sights set rather higher. Robert Carr (he adopted the English spelling of the name when he moved there with the King following Elizabeth's death in 1603) was King James’ favourite and possibly the member of the family best-known to those living south of the border. His renown was achieved by contributing to James’ personal unpopularity in his new Kingdom, and to the tension that gradually built up against the Stuarts and was to culminate in the English Civil War and the execution of Charles I.
First a royal page and then a Groom of the Bedchamber, Robert Carr was sent to France by the King to improve his education. He broke a leg at a tournament soon after his return to England and the King ordered him to be lodged at Court while he recovered and visited him frequently. It was at this time that he became James' 'favourite', rather than one of the many other bright young men in the King’s entourage. Thereafter he accumulated offices and influence, to the great disgust of Englishmen who felt these good things should have come to them instead.
Robert Carr was a clever and intelligent man, however his many enemies knew the game better than he. He eventually lost his position as 'royal favourite' to George Villiers (created Duke of Buckingham by the king), and although he had been created Earl of Somerset in 1613 and had married Lady Frances Howard, daughter of the Earl of Suffolk, his loss of royal patronage left him exposed.
For most of his career in London, he had been ably supported by Sir Thomas Overbury. Overbury mistrusted the Howards and tried to prevent the marriage to Lady Frances, however the Howards persuaded the king to offer Overbury the ambassadorship to the court of Tsar Michael of Russia, aware that his refusal would be tantamount to treason. The plan worked! Overbury declined, wishing to remain in England and at his friend's side, and sure enough, he was sent to the Tower and died there 5 months later "of natural causes".
In 1615, following Robert Carr's fall from royal grace, it emerged that Sir Thomas Overbury's death in the Tower of London had been caused by poisoning, and among those implicated were Carr and his wife. At the infamous trial that followed, four others, including Sir Gervase Helwys, Lieutenant of the Tower of London, were found guilty and executed. Carr and his wife were confined to the Tower, and although subsequently pardoned, their public lives were over.
They had one daughter, Anne, who married Lord Russell, later Earl and then first Duke of Bedford.
Ferniehirst Castle (8)
Sir Thomas Kerr's support for Mary Queen of Scots and also those that supported her south of the border, earned him many enemies, as a consequence of which, Ferniehirst was in ruins by 1570. His son and heir, Sir Andrew Kerr, rebuilt the castle essentially as it is now. Sir Andrew was Provost of Jedburgh for many years, but never became Warden, the office having been abolished following the Union of the Crowns. He held several Court and administrative posts, and was created Lord Jedburgh in 1622.
While Sir Andrew was busying himself with estate management and local governance, his younger half brother Robert had his sights set rather higher. Robert Carr (he adopted the English spelling of the name when he moved there with the King following Elizabeth's death in 1603) was King James’ favourite and possibly the member of the family best-known to those living south of the border. His renown was achieved by contributing to James’ personal unpopularity in his new Kingdom, and to the tension that gradually built up against the Stuarts and was to culminate in the English Civil War and the execution of Charles I.
First a royal page and then a Groom of the Bedchamber, Robert Carr was sent to France by the King to improve his education. He broke a leg at a tournament soon after his return to England and the King ordered him to be lodged at Court while he recovered and visited him frequently. It was at this time that he became James' 'favourite', rather than one of the many other bright young men in the King’s entourage. Thereafter he accumulated offices and influence, to the great disgust of Englishmen who felt these good things should have come to them instead.
Robert Carr was a clever and intelligent man, however his many enemies knew the game better than he. He eventually lost his position as 'royal favourite' to George Villiers (created Duke of Buckingham by the king), and although he had been created Earl of Somerset in 1613 and had married Lady Frances Howard, daughter of the Earl of Suffolk, his loss of royal patronage left him exposed.
For most of his career in London, he had been ably supported by Sir Thomas Overbury. Overbury mistrusted the Howards and tried to prevent the marriage to Lady Frances, however the Howards persuaded the king to offer Overbury the ambassadorship to the court of Tsar Michael of Russia, aware that his refusal would be tantamount to treason. The plan worked! Overbury declined, wishing to remain in England and at his friend's side, and sure enough, he was sent to the Tower and died there 5 months later "of natural causes".
In 1615, following Robert Carr's fall from royal grace, it emerged that Sir Thomas Overbury's death in the Tower of London had been caused by poisoning, and among those implicated were Carr and his wife. At the infamous trial that followed, four others, including Sir Gervase Helwys, Lieutenant of the Tower of London, were found guilty and executed. Carr and his wife were confined to the Tower, and although subsequently pardoned, their public lives were over.
They had one daughter, Anne, who married Lord Russell, later Earl and then first Duke of Bedford.