General Notes

REFN: 7532AN
George Rutherfurd of Longnewton was forfeited of his lands of Sandystanys
giv en to Patrick, Lord Bothwell, February 16, 1499. His wife, Catherine
Lyle, ha d life-rent of a portion of the lands by deed under the King's
signet Novembe r 8, 1498.
The earliest dates in the Fairnington charters appear to relate to the
history of Longnewton, not to Fairnington. They show that in 1497 George
Rutherfurd, who held Longnewton and other lands of Robert Douglas of
Lochle ven by charters of September 20, 1497, granted the same to his
nephew Walter Rutherford all to be holden blench of the said Lochleven.
In 1544 William Rut herford, heir and successor of Walter Rutherfurd,
founded on these charters t o show that his ancestor was infeft in
Longnewton in 1497. The district of Lo ngnewton is presently annexed to
the parish of Ancrum.
The barony of Fairnin gton was possessed by a family named Burnard in the
twelfth century. In 1200 the monks of Melrose obtained from Richard
Burnard thirteen acres and a rood of his lands of Fairnington.
Fairnington remained in the name of Rutherford f or more than four
centuries with the exception of a few months. This was a lo ng descent in
one name, considering the vicissitudes so frequent in the histo ry of
Border houses.
["Genealogical History of the Rutherford Family" by Wil liam and Anna
Rutherford - 1969 edition]
"The ancient parish of Roxburgh was more extensive than the modern
parish; and it took its name from an ancient burgh, now called Old
Roxburgh, in connection with which was an ancient famou s castle; but the
parts of the ancient parish on which the burgh and the cast le stood, are
now united to Kelso. A chapel, subordinate to the mother church of Old
Roxburgh, anciently stood on the manor of Fairnington."
[The Imperia l Gazetteer of Scotland, edited by John Marius Wilson and
published in 1868. This reference was found in volume II, p.677]
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Our George of Langnewton held his lands from Robert Douglas of Lochleven.
This is another Douglas sharing his lands with our Rutherfords.
The connection to the earliest Rutherfords is through Sir Richard and
Jane Douglas.
The authors have gone to great extent to prove that Sir Richard had 3
sons. The Peerage says 5. I guess we can accept either as being true.
The a uthor has Robert of Chatto as the brother of Sir Richard. This would
not been ough for the Douglases to claim Robert as near kin!