| Admin History | The Gibson-Craig papers record the ownership and use of the Riccarton estate, south west of Edinburgh, over seven centuries. The earliest document in the archive dates from 1454. However, the first recorded mention of Riccarton is in the Ragman's Roll of 1296, which records a Mariorie de Ricardestone. Unfortunately, nothing is known about either the Richard after whom the land was named, nor the owner, Mariorie. In 1315 King Robert I (the Bruce), granted Riccarton and other lands as a dowry on the marriage of his daughter Marjorie to Walter the Steward. By 1392 Riccarton was owned by Mariota Wardlaw, and her son Andrew. Riccarton remained in the ownership of the Wardlaws for the following two centuries. In 1508, James Wardlaw leased Riccarton House to Alexander Hepburn of Whitsome, and Janet Napier, his wife. The Wardlaws retained ownership of the remainder of the estate, and lived at Curriehill. In 1605, Riccarton Mains Farm was sold to Thomas Craig, a well-known Advocate and author of several famous legal works. In 1608, Lewis Craig succeeded his father to Riccarton Mains, and in 1610, he purchased the rest of the estate from William Wardlaw. Lewis was also a lawyer, and he purchased Curriehill and Malcolmston, which became part of the estate. He also commissioned major building work at Riccarton, extending the original tower house into a z shaped building. Lewis was succeeded in 1622 by his son Thomas (II), who was succeeded in turn by Lewis (II) in 1663. In 1681, the estate passed to Lewis' (II) son, Thomas (III), and thence in 1691 to his brother Robert. Robert held the estate until his death in 1748.
Robert died unmarried, and the estate passed to his nephew, Thomas (IV), the son of James Craig, Robert's younger brother. Thomas (IV) was succeeded in 1814 by his younger brother, Robert (II), who was by then aged 83. On Robert's (II) death in 1823, the estate passed by Deed of Entail to James Gibson, a descendant of both Thomas Craig (I) and (III). James adopted the surname Gibson-Craig, and in 1831 he was created a Baronet. Sir James died in 1851, and was succeeded by his son Sir William. Both men were noted politicians. James was a leader of the Scottish Whigs and Sir William served as MP for Midlothian (1837-1842) and latterly Edinburgh City (1842-1852). In addition, Sir William also held the positions of Lord Clerk Register (1862-1878) and Keeper of the Signet in Scotland. On his death in 1878, he was succeeded by his son James, who became Convenor of Midlothian County Council. James (II) was succeeded in 1908 by his son, Archibald, a lieutenant in the Highland Light Infantry, who was killed in action shortly after the outbreak of World War I. Archibald was succeeded by his younger brother, Henry, who died in 1930. Thereafter, the title and estate parted company. The title passed to Henry's cousin Eardley, whose descendants still hold the title. The estates passed through the female line to the Sudlow family, who sold the estate to Midlothian County Council. In 1969 the County Council gifted the Riccarton estate to Heriot-Watt University, and it now forms the Edinburgh campus of the University. |