Hailes Castle (10)
The Great Hall of Hailes Castle, built by the Hepburn Earls of Bothwell.
Patrick Hepburn, 2nd Lord Hailes, was one of the leaders of the Confederate Lords who rebelled against the deeply unpopular King James III and commanded the vanguard against the Royal army at the battle of Sauchieburn, 11 July 1488. As the battle drew to a close, the King was thrown from his horse and probably died in the fall. The story persists, unsupported by any contemporary evidence, that James was 'finished off' as he lay on the ground not far from Bannockburn, and Patrick Hepburn is one of those suspected of the suspected murder!
In the reign of James IV, Hepburn rose to great power and held many offices including Master of the King's Household, Custodian of Edinburgh Castle and Sheriff Principal of Edinburgh and Haddington. On 13 October 1488, he was given a Crown charter of the feudal lordships of Chrichton and Bothwell, which were in the King's hands following the forfeiture of John Ramsay, Lord Bothwell. In parliament four days later, the lordship of Bothwell was erected into an Earldom in his favour, and he was belted as Earl of Bothwell. In 1492, he was given a charter of the lands and lordship of Liddesdale, including Hermitage Castle, upon the resignation of the same by Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Angus, the latter getting the lordship of Bothwell, but not the Earldom.
The Hepburns were also the Lord High Admirals of Scotland - a title less important than sounds, because we didn't have any ships!
Hailes Castle (10)
The Great Hall of Hailes Castle, built by the Hepburn Earls of Bothwell.
Patrick Hepburn, 2nd Lord Hailes, was one of the leaders of the Confederate Lords who rebelled against the deeply unpopular King James III and commanded the vanguard against the Royal army at the battle of Sauchieburn, 11 July 1488. As the battle drew to a close, the King was thrown from his horse and probably died in the fall. The story persists, unsupported by any contemporary evidence, that James was 'finished off' as he lay on the ground not far from Bannockburn, and Patrick Hepburn is one of those suspected of the suspected murder!
In the reign of James IV, Hepburn rose to great power and held many offices including Master of the King's Household, Custodian of Edinburgh Castle and Sheriff Principal of Edinburgh and Haddington. On 13 October 1488, he was given a Crown charter of the feudal lordships of Chrichton and Bothwell, which were in the King's hands following the forfeiture of John Ramsay, Lord Bothwell. In parliament four days later, the lordship of Bothwell was erected into an Earldom in his favour, and he was belted as Earl of Bothwell. In 1492, he was given a charter of the lands and lordship of Liddesdale, including Hermitage Castle, upon the resignation of the same by Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Angus, the latter getting the lordship of Bothwell, but not the Earldom.
The Hepburns were also the Lord High Admirals of Scotland - a title less important than sounds, because we didn't have any ships!