Crozier Riccarton

Brigham ‘This is the Place’ genealogy with DNA applied

Basic Information from;

A BREAK WITH THE PAST

Changed days on two Border sheep farms

(Langburnshiels and Riccarton)

with; The Record Book of the Riccarton Mill Club

by Michael J. H. Robson

Ovenshank Newcastleton 1991

© 1990 Michael J. H. Robson

Printed by Walter Thomson, 71 High Street, Selkirk

Acknowledgements; The author wishes to thank the following;

His Grace the Duke of Buccleuch and Baroness Elliot of Harwood for permission to draw upon estate records.

Miss E Anderson, Miss A Charters, Mr D. Glendinning, (all of Newcastleton) and Mr and Mrs B. Hedley, Langburnshiels, for providing information and photographs.

Publication sent to me from Mrs Robert Rein, Riverton, Wyoming, USA, who’s deceased husband Robert raised barley.

Genealogy, done the old way; pitching in and helping out.

Starts Off;

“Langburnshiels and Riccarton were sheep farms in south-west Roxburghshire,…….”

Riccarton, comes from Ricartoun, or Richard’s toun/town, means farmstead of a group of people.

The quarter; one of four regions which Riccarton, is in in 1376, is the one of ‘Ermyldoune’; the one which contained the army fort, or army outpost (tage) of Danish, Northumbria, that of The Hermitage Castle.

In Robert Bruce Armstrong, History of Liddesdale…, listing of foresta (groves), and valleys, are given by Locus (locality) of family groups. Locus is sometimes mistaken as a forename.

RB-Armstrong-Liddesdale-History-Append-1_valley_of_the_Croyser_1376

So listed under the Valleys of Liddesdale in 1376, is a valley which is listed by the Locus Croyser (Crosar ie Locality of the Crozier), this valley likely called today Riccarton Burn.

 

In 1587 the Scottish Parliament recognized the Crosser (Crosier then Crozier in Scotland) as a Middlemarch Clan. Walter Scott reconizes unlike Robert Bruce Armstrong that the Crozier descendants were in Cumberland with the Nixon, and I am also finding them with the Ellwood of Cumberland, England today given census data; RF;

gbnames.publicprofiler.org

Crosser-Crozier 1587 Middlemarch (2)

crosars-crozier-riccarton-burn-and-some-ruins

This is some question in above references of the Crozier in Debatable Lands. Crozier are found with Ellot in the Riccarton Burn region.

Should be noted that the chief of Clan Elliot Robert Ellot of Redheugh family; in 1587, had moved to Lariston, and Clan Armstrong also had a chief at the time of  Mangerton. The Crosser and Nixon would have captains. The Nixons use similar arms to the Ellot of Redheugh, Lariston, and Stobs, with an elwand on the bend, and are likely loyal at the time in 1587 to the Clan Ellot chief Robert Elliot 15 now living in Lariston, near the Crosser of Riccarton.

Arms of Croser (Crozier), Nixon 1876

Riccarton_Burn_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1253530

Riccarton Burn;

Border Reivers UK Crozier, Crozer

Riccarton Burn (Rickardton/Ryckerton, etc) had two communities one higher another lower in elevation. The one higher in elevation would be called Riccarton cleuch, superior, and over, the one of lower in elevation would be called Riccarton mill,  foot, inferior, and nether.

If one studies; will find O. and N. listed for touns; like N.&O. Riccartoun, and N.&O. Larriston, nearby. The N. is not for new, and the O. is not for old. If one studies the map closely, one will find, the the N. is downstream for Nether (under), and the O. is upstream for Over.

Blaeu Atlas of Scotland 1654 LIDALIA Liddesdale

The name Steel, represents a stream, between Redheugh on the Hermitage Water, and Riccarton on the Liddel Water. Used to describe a stream near Hexam.  It is felt the Steel  came out of this cross border region, where there is and Over and Nether Steel. The surname Steel, likely originated in this region, where steel is used to describe a type of small stream.

One can see that O&N Riccaton, is near O&N Lariston, and Prickenhaugh, on the 1654 Blaeu map of Liddesdale;

Crozier_and_Elliot_in_Upper_Liddesdale_Blaeu_1654_map

With spellings Rickertown and Rickertownmill for O.&N. Riccarton.

Crosar Crozier localities Liddesdale Riccartoun Riccarton 1541

One can see on the 1484 Redheugh, O&N Lariston, Hartsgarth, deed/sasine, that there is and Over (Superior) Lariston, and a Nether (Inferior) Lariston, and Crosar are listed as witnesses;

Sasine_deed_1484_for_Robert_Elwald_(Elliot),_Redheugh,_Larriston,_Hartsgarth

Elliots of Lariston Tree; 1704, a vital piece of information that survived the Stobs Castle fire 1720; Robert 15 of Lariston, is brother to Martin of Prickinghaugh.

single exception one pedigree dated c. 1704

Elliot_of_Lariston_tree

Liddesdale_1590_map

So the chief of Clan Ellot (ie Elwald, Elliot), lived near Riccarton, of the Crozier (ie Croyser, Crosar).

Riccarton Tower;

Which remains still exist.

In 1541 Martin and Patrice Crosar (ie Crozier), are listed in Ricardtoun cleuch (Riccarton Over/Superior), and Rolland and William Elwald (ie Ellot/Elliot) are list with are Martin and Patrick Crosar of Richardton (Riccarton mill, Nether/Inferior).

The Crozier built a tower at Riccarton (cleuch, Over, and Superior);

 

O.ver Riccarton Tower (Canmore archaeological)

NY59NW 5 5440 9580.

See also NY59SW 12
(NY 5440 9580) Riccarton Tower (NR). (Remains of).
OS 6″ map (1949)
The site of a tower which is now occupied by a sheep stell. This tower, formerly called ‘Rakistonlees’ (?), belonged to a branch of the clan Crozier.

J Hardy 1890

 

 

N.ether Riccarton Tower (Canmore archaeological)

Event ID 735474
Category Descriptive Account
Type Archaeology Notes
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/735474
NY59SW 9 c549 949.
(Approx NY 549 949) N (Nether) Riccarton with tower symbol on Ponts map of Liddesdale (1608).
The approximate location falls on low marshy ground within a wide bend of the Liddle Water. No significant features were noted and a probable 18th century mill at NY 5492 4997 shows no obvious re-used material. Dr Robson (Hawick Museum) has no information on the name, and he has no documentary evidence to substantiate the existence of any form of tower in this area.
Visited by OS (JRL) 30 July 1979  added 5/9/2016 by MSE

Likely not a good place for the tower at Nether (Under) Riccarton, but a viable locality as shown of the Bleau 1654 Liddesdale map. The tower was at Over (Upper) Riccarton.

Riccarton Tower/Burn, and Rakistonlees from; Roy Graham 2003

Helcaldenburne is Caddroun Burn (Tower) where Rakestonleis
is of William Crosier in 1590.

Caddroun Burn Tower

1590 map shows Rakistonlees, of Martin Crosier is up the Liddel Water from Riccarton Tower;

Riccarton Rakistonlees map locations

Riccarton is near Robert Ellot 15, and his brother of Martin of Prickenhaugh.

 

Correction made by Mark Elliott 1/25/2019

 

 

 

 

Location of O. Riccarton Tower;

map-of-crozier-remains-of-riccartion-tower

 

Above and below Google maps satellite.

riccarton-tower-and-farm-1

riccarton-tower-and-farm-2

riccarton-tower-and-farm-3

Sign Riccarton Farm in centre on rock wall. Photo is looking north.

Riccarton_Cleuch,_Riccarton_RB_Armstrong_of_Crosar_(Crozier),_Elwald_(Ellot)

Crosar Crozier ca 1541

Blaeu Crosar 1541 map

In 1576 an Andrew (alias/nickname Dande) Crosar was of Ricardtoun Cleuch (O. Riccarton), and 1590 a Will Croser of Ryckertoun is listed. Martin of  Braidley and Prickenhaugh, son Symon, received from him of Bothwell’s Braidley and Prickenhagh near Riccarton.  It should be noted the Martin own land west of Branxholm called Braidley also, and lived on the Braidley Bothwell lease and that is why though he lived on Bothwell land he could be called “of Braidley”. Not much has changed. There is a proposed Infinis which uses and obscure name of the region Windy Edge, to be built on this Braidley Bothwell lease land of Martin Ellot which lead the Ellot clan after Robert 15 living in Lariston died. People would know better where it is located if Infinis called it The Hermitage Castle wind farm.

Riccarton Junction;

Riccarton Junction History

Riccarton map (2)

Riccarton Junction map

Riccarton Junction 1910

MSE  3/26/2016

Riccarton Junction history;

riccarton-junction

11/22/2016 MSE

 

Slow Train to Riccarton 1986

Jul 23, 2017

Last note;

Elliot, Glendinning, & Little; R-L193 sub of L513

Glendinning (Glendenning) and Ellot (Elliot) families in 1615, were at Nether Riccarton, Liddesdale, Scotland, and in 1933 they were at Rice Township, Mount Ayr, Iowa, USA, and are still prominent citizens of Mount Ayr (Ayr after the hometown of Robert Burns).

Crownpoint-School-near-Mt-Ayr-IA-1933

Evidence that Elliot, and Glenndenning with similar DNAs.

James-V-Nov

Map of Scottish Borderlands, Glendinning-Liddesdale region.

Blaeu Atlas of Scotland, 1654 Name: Pont, Timothy, 1560?-1614? Blaeu, Joan, 1596-1673 Title: Evia et Escia Scotis, Evsdail et Eskdail / Auct. Timotheo Pont, I. Blaeu excud. Imprint: [Amsterdam : Blaeu, 1654] http://maps.nls.uk/view/00000400#zoom=5&lat=3690&lon=5085&layers=BT Glendinning Evia et Escia… castle Glendinning Glendinning R. Evia et Escia… source Glendinning Burn

 

Thorlieshope, is near the Crozier, Hudshouse.

For more info on Y-DNA closeness for Elliott and Glendenny;
Report on A1 Clade/R-L193 for Elliott and Glendenny
R-L513 FTDNA class results includes R-L193 subclade.

Loren S. Elliott (dad), with younger brother Jack (uncle), and twin sister Lois (aunt), with teacher Alice Glendenning Miller; Crownpoint country school; Rice Township, Ringgold County, southern Iowa (3 miles south of Mt Ayr), USA.

MSE   2/20/2016

 crozier-history-riccarton-scotland-and-fermanagh-ulster

MSE 11/2/2016

 

The Armstrongs Of Riccarton Mill, Castleton 24/10/2015

How many people have ancestors who lived & worked for over 200 years in the same historic 18th century Mill?

​One new member of the Armstrong Clan Association can!

The earliest record of a meal mill at Riccarton, Castleton dates from 1611, and a new mill was built in 1718 for William Elliot, the tenant of RIccarton Farm, whose granddaughter Christian Elliot married Thomas Armstrong of Sorbie, and she moved back to the Mill after his death. The Elliot family held the tenancy of the Mill until 1766, when it passed to the widowed Christian Armstrong and remained in the hands of the Armstrongs for nearly 200 years

The Mill then passed down the Armstrong family, with visits by Sir Walter Scott, legends of hidden gold sovereigns nearby, and gifts from the Duke of Buccleugh over the years. The Armstrongs bought the Mill in 1919, and the family lived there until 1944. Jane Armstrong was one of the last of the line to live at the Mill, and her daughter recalls this special family history & memories in issue 81 of the Armstrong News.

Riccarton survey map pub 1899

 

MSE 7/16/2017

The Armstrongs Of Riccarton Mill, Castleton

http://maps.nls.uk/view/75664720#zoom=4&lat=3171&lon=3614&layers=BT

 

Scottish Borders National Park

 

Scottish Borders National Park

Feasibility study for a proposed Scottish Borders National Park

Campaign for a Scottish Borders National Park

https://www.facebook.com/scotbordersNP/

Ask yourself who gets to pocket the wind farm money, and who gets to pocket the tourist money.

EXPLORE THE SCOTTISH BORDERS

Peace on the Border

Muirhall Heritage Castle (Windy Edge) wind farm

11/7/2018 MSE

6 Comments on “Crozier Riccarton

  1. I’m interested in tracking the Glendinnings, which is likely a precursor of Clendenin.

    This link to the Elliotts of Liddesdale is promising. Any assistance is appreciated

  2. William E. Crozier from Virginia USA 1613 now in Elliston/
    Roanoke VA moved to New Mexico, Portallis in circa 1900 then to
    northern Oklahoma Enid, Billings, Garber in 1893 land runs and started a Breather Church in Antelope Valley Noble County near Garfiedl county 1/4 mile north of Hwy 412 1 mile east of Garfield County line, Oklahoma. Relatives still live near there.
    Also, related to German families of Schweikheim NE of Stuttgart.Family birthday party this weekend May14 at 11:00.
    [email protected] or 011-405-332-5276.

  3. What a great site with so much of interest for those who are passionate about Scottish Border folk and especially the Border Reivers. Just found it. Great.n I will return often.
    Would it be possible to put a link to your site on mine?
    Thank you for any consideration.

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