Oliver St Clair (died 1523) was a Scottish noble and the 12th Baron of Roslin.

Early life

He was the eldest son of the second marriage of William Sinclair, 1st Earl of Caithness, 2nd Lord Sinclair and 11th Baron of Roslin to Marjory Sutherland, daughter of Sutherland of Duffus. His father had a son from his first marriage to Elizabeth Douglas,

William Sinclair, 3rd Lord Sinclair William Sinclair of Newburgh, Aberdeenshire (died 1487) was a Scottish nobleman and the 3rd Lord Sinclair. In ''The Scots Peerage'' by James Balfour Paul he is designated as the 2nd Lord Sinclair, but historian Roland Saint-Clair designates him ...

, who although inherited the Lordship of Sinclair was apparently disinherited of the Barony of Roslin which went to Oliver and also of the

earldom of Caithness Earl of Caithness is a title that has been created several times in the Peerage of Scotland, and it has a very complex history. Its first grant, in the modern sense as to have been counted in strict lists of peerages, is now generally held to ha ...

which went to Oliver's younger brother, another William Sinclair.

Lands and estates

On 9 September 1476 Oliver St Clair received from his father the baronies of Roslin, Pentland, and Pentland Muir, the barony of Herbertshire, the lands of

Cousland Cousland is a village in Midlothian, Scotland. It is located east of Dalkeith and west of Ormiston, on a hill between the Rivers Tyne and Esk. History Cousland was a possession of the Sinclair family of Roslin from the late 12th century, a ...

, the barony of

Ravenscraig Ravenscraig is a village and new town, located in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, around 1½ miles east of Motherwell. Ravenscraig was formerly the site of Ravenscraig steelworks; once the largest hot strip steel mill in western Europe, the st ...

, Dubbo, Carberry and Dysart. This was confirmed by

charter A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified. It is implicit that the granter retains superiority (or sovereignty), and that the rec ...

from

James III of Scotland James III (10 July 1451/May 1452 – 11 June 1488) was King of Scots from 1460 until his death at the Battle of Sauchieburn in 1488. He inherited the throne as a child following the death of his father, King James II, at the siege of Roxburgh ...

on 10 September 1476. However, Oliver St Clair later gave to his brother, William Sinclair, 3rd Lord Sinclair who was also known as "of Newburgh", the lands of Cousland, Dysart and Ravenscraig with the castles in return for William and his son Henry renouncing their claims to the Barony of Roslin.

Feud with Lord Borthwick

Oliver St Clair entered into a feud with

Lord Borthwick Lord Borthwick is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. Alexander Nisbet relates that "the first of this ancient and noble family came from Hungary to Scotland, in the retinue of Queen Margaret, in the reign of Malcolm Canmore, ''anno Domini'' 10 ...

which lasted for several years after St Clair threw one of the Borthwicks over the drawbridge at

Roslin Castle Roslin Castle (sometimes spelt Rosslyn) is a partially ruined castle near the village of Roslin in Midlothian, Scotland. It is located around 9 miles south of Edinburgh, on the north bank of the North Esk, only a few hundred metres from the fa ...

after dinner.

Rosslyn Chapel

Oliver St Clair completed the construction of

Rosslyn Chapel Rosslyn Chapel, formerly known as the Collegiate Chapel of St Matthew, is a 15th-century chapel located in the village of Roslin, Midlothian, Scotland. Rosslyn Chapel was founded on a small hill above Roslin Glen as a Catholic collegiate church ...

, which had been started by his father.

Family

Oliver St Clair was married firstly to Christian Haldane, secondly to Elizabeth, daughter of

William Borthwick, 3rd Lord Borthwick Sir William Borthwick, 3rd Lord Borthwick (died 20 May 1503) was a Scottish nobleman, ambassador, and Master of the King's Household in 1485. The son of William Borthwick, 2nd Lord Borthwick (died c. 1483), the 3rd Lord Borthwick was knighted b ...

, and thirdly to Isabella Livingstone. He had the following children: #George St Clair,

fiar FIAR S.p.A. (Fabbrica Italiana Apparecchiature Radioelettriche) was an Italian avionics and radar manufacturer; the Eurofighter's current radar contains its technology. History It was formed on 31 July 1941, as a spin off from Compagnia Genera ...

of Roslin, who married Agnes, daughter of Robert Crichton,

Lord Sanquhar Lord is an appellation for a person or deity who has authority, control, or power over others, acting as a master, chief, or ruler. The appellation can also denote certain persons who hold a title of the peerage in the United Kingdom, or a ...

. He died in 1510. #

William St Clair, 13th Baron of Roslin William St Clair (died c. 1554) was a Scottish noble and the 13th Baron of Roslin. Early life He was the eldest surviving son of Oliver St Clair, 12th Baron of Roslin who died before 1523 when William is found in possession of Roslin. That year ...

. # Henry Sinclair, Bishop of Ross. #

Oliver Sinclair Sir Oliver Sinclair of Pitcairnis (died 1576?) was a favourite courtier of James V of Scotland. A contemporary story tells that James V gave him the battle standard and command at the Battle of Solway Moss. Another story tells how at the end of h ...

, of Pitcairns. He commanded the Scottish army at the Battle of Solway Moss. # John Sinclair, Bishop of Brechin. #Alexander St Clair, who received a charter for lands from

James V of Scotland James V (10 April 1512 – 14 December 1542) was List of Scottish monarchs, King of Scotland from 9 September 1513 until his death in 1542. He was crowned on 21 September 1513 at the age of seventeen months. James was the son of James IV of Sco ...

in 1541. #Arthur St Clair, who received a charter for lands from

Andrew Durie Andrew Durie (died 1558), bishop of Galloway and abbot of Melrose, was the son of John Durie of Durie in Fife, and brother to George Durie, abbot of Dunfermline and archdeacon of St. Andrews. Biography Early career and abbacy of Melrose Bot ...

Abbot of Melrose The Abbot Abbot is an ecclesiastical title given to the male head of a monastery in various Western religious traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not the head of a ...

in 1539. #James St Clair, who received a charter for lands from Mr Henry St Clair, son of Oliver St Clair of Roslin. #Margaret St Clair, who married Sir Thomas Kirkpatrick of Closeburn.

References