Elizabeth Dundas (1650 25 May 1731), Lady Stair, was a Scottish noblewoman and owner of Lady Stair’s House in the

Lawnmarket The Royal Mile () is a succession of streets forming the main thoroughfare of the Old Town of the city of Edinburgh in Scotland. The term was first used descriptively in W. M. Gilbert's ''Edinburgh in the Nineteenth Century'' (1901), des ...

, in

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

’s Old Town.

Early life

Elizabeth was born in 1650, the daughter of Sir John Dundas of

Newliston Newliston is a country house near Edinburgh, Scotland. It is located south-west of Kirkliston, and west of the city centre. The house, designed by Robert Adam in the late 18th century, is a category A listed building. The 18th-century gardens, ...

and his wife Agnes Gray. She was the granddaughter of Sir William Gray of Pittendrum, and his wife Egidia or Geida Smith. She had one brother, John Dundas, who was born in 1639.

Marriage and later life

In 1655 Elizabeth inherited the bankrupt estates of her father. In 1667 she was forcibly abducted, however, although this was investigated, no conviction was made. Around 1668/9 she married John Dalrymple, the First Earl of Stair (1648-1707). Between 1670-1680 she had 6 sons and 4 daughters, although only 3 sons and one daughter survived childhood. She died on 25 May 1731, aged 81.

Lady Stair’s House

Elizabeth’s grandparents, Sir William Gray and Egidia Smith built the house now known as

Lady Stair’s House The word ''lady'' is a term for a girl or woman, with various connotations. Once used to describe only women of a high social class or status, the equivalent of lord, now it may refer to any adult woman, as gentleman can be used for men. Infor ...

in 1622. By 1719 Elizabeth was a widow, and she bought her grandparents’ house, known then as Lady Gray’s House after her grandmother. It was originally left to her mother’s younger sister. She lived here until her death in 1731 In 1765 the house was sold by her grandson, John Dalrymple of Newliston, who became 5th Earl of Stair in 1768.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dundas, Elizabeth 1650 births 1731 deaths Scottish noblewomen