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village of Earlston stand on the east side of the Leader, having on the south a
hill, which commands an extensive view over that riveret and the Tweed. The
corrupted name of Earlston is attributed, by popular tradition, to the supposition
that the Earl of March had of old resided here. But though those Earls do
not seem to have ever had a residence at this place, they were undoubtedly the
principal proprietors of Ersildun, from the 12th century till 1435, when they
incurred a forfeiture. David I. sometimes resided here (h). In the 12th century,
however, the family of Lindsay held the manor of Ersildun (i). The donations
of the Lindsays to the monks of Coldingham were confirmed by Richard,
who ruled the See of St. Andrews from 1168 to 1177 (k). William de Lindsey
conferred on the canons of Dryburgh two bovates of land in the parish of
Ersildun (l). The Lindseys, who were thus bountiful, seem to have retired
from Ersildun at the conclusion of the 12th century, when the Earls of Dunbar
became here more conspicuous. Patrick, the Earl, the son-in-law of King
William, confirmed to the monks of Coldingham the church of Ersildun (m).
There was a perambulation soon after for settling Earl Patrick's boundaries of
Ersildun, with the monks of Dryburgh's grange of Kedslie, on the western
side of the Leader (n). Earl Patrick dying in 1332, his son, Patrick, granted
the same monks a confirmation of the limits between his territory of Ersildun
and their grange of Kedslie (6). Those opulent barons seem to have granted
(K) In 1136, David I. gave to the monks of Melrose the lands of Melrose, Eildon, Darnick,
Gattonside, a fishing in the Tweed, and the use of his forest between the Gala and the Leader, by a
charter dated, "apud ercheldon in junio." The witnesses were Henry, his son, John the bishop,
"William, his nephew, William, the chancellor, Madd, Comes, with other men of the country ; such
as Gospatrick, the Earl, Ulfchil, the son of Ethelstan, Osolf, the son of Huctrix, Maccus, the son of
Unwin, Hutred, the son of Sioth, Huctred, the son of Gospatrick, Orm, the son of Eilaf, Eilaf, the son
of Gospatric, Edulf, the son of Norman, Osolf, the son of Edin, Osolf, the son of Elfstan, Robert Brus
le Meschin, [younger] Radulf, the son of Turstan, Roger, the nephew of the bishop. Diplom. Scotise,
pl. xiv. Earl Henry's charter confirming this, was granted at Ercheldun, in presence of the same
witnesses ; but Gospatrick is called the son of Gospatrick. Chart. Melrose, 55; Hutch. Northumb.,
i., App. 3.
(i) Walter de Lindsay, who lived under David I., granted the church of Earlston to the monks of
Kelso, who, in 1171, exchanged it with the monks of Coldingham for the church of Gordon. The
monks of Coldingham procured from William de Lindsay, the son of Walter, a confirmation of the
church of Earlston. Chart. Cold., 19-71.                                (k) Ib., 42.
(l) Chart. Dryb., 83.    The Iindseys gave the same canons Kedslie.    Ib., 76-7.
(m) Chart. Cold., 12. About the same time Earl Patrick gave the monks of Dryburgh Elvinsby,
two bovates of land in Ersildun, with a toft, a croft, and pasturage for 100 sheep, 12 oxen, 12 swine,
and two horses. Chart. Dryb., 82.
(n) Ib., 80.                                          (o) Ib., 81.