Tour Scotland 4K travel video, with Scottish music, of Meikleour House near the left bank of the river Tay, on ancestry, genealogy, family history visit to Perthshire. Meikleour House is an 18th century mansion remodelled by David Bryce in 1869. It is reported that the 18th century house incorporated part of an earlier building dating back to 1162. The Mercer family owned the lands of Meikleour in the 12th century and the tower house is likely to have been a successor to the nearby motte. In 1443 King James II granted Andrew Mercer de Mekilloure the lands of Balleyffe, Ballachouse, Culcarny, Kynnarde, Mekilloure, Awdese, Dalketh, Tulibagill, Dunberny, Gilgirstoun and Ledenoch, erecting them into the free barony of Mekilloure. In 1475 Laurence Mercer granted his wife, Elizabeth Wardlaw, daughter of Henry Wardlaw of Torrie, the lands Estir-awdeis, Westir-awdeis, Powmyll with its mill, Dunbery and Petrathlie, Tulebalis and Lidnoche. Their son, Henry Mercer de Mekilloure, received from James IV in 1504 confirmation of the lands of Balleyff, Ballachous, Culcarny, Kynnarde, Mekilloure, Awdeys, Dalkeyth, Tulybagill, Dunberny, Petcaithly, Gilgirstoun and Lednoch, which were reconfirmed in 1511. Henry was killed at the Battle of Flodden in 1513. The Clan Mercer surname is of great antiquity, and of French origin. There were two families of the name in Scotland; the Mercers of Innerpeffry, or the Roys, and those of Aldie, the Dhus of Perthshire. Of these the former are said to be the elder. They seem to have acquired the lands of Innerpeffry in Strathern, extending along both banks of the Pow, from Abercairney to the Earn, including the present properties of Dollerie, Inchbreakie, Innerpeffry, and, by intermarriage with the family of Malcolm de Innerpeffry, sheriff of Clackmannan in 1318. Robert Mercer seems to have sold his lands to Thomas Oliphant of Dron before 15th June 1468, but this sale was evidently invalid, as there were complaints before the Lords auditors, and disputes for these lands down to the year 1595. Alexander, eldest son of Robert, died a monk in the year 1469, and David, the 2d son, succeeded to the patrimony. He commenced suits for the recovery of his lands from the Oliphants, and in the Gask charter chest is a document dated 1484, by which David Mercer and his five sons, William, Vincent, George, Andrew, and James, declare that they will retain possession of Lord Oliphant's lands of Clathy until he pays them for the lands of Innerpeffry. The disputes seem to have been partially compromised about 1503, when John, Lord Drummond, gets a charter for Innerpeffray. As William Mercer, in 1500, and Andrew Mercer, in 1507, get lands as faithful servitors of the king, it is likely that Lord Drummond obtained them situations in the royal household, through the influence of his sister, Annabella, wife of King Robert. William Mercer was probably the poet whom Dunbar commends in his Lament, and seems also to have been court jester. Innerpeffray is now in the possession of Arthur Hay Drummond of Cromlix. Dollerie got into the possession of the Murrays about 1550, and is still in that family. Peter Mercer, probably a brother of Alexander and David, obtained Inchbreakie, which had been mortgaged to his uncle Andrew, and sold it in 1503 to Lord Grahame, who gave this property to his 2d son, and his descendants still hold it. Of interest to folks with ancestry, genealogy or Scottish Family Roots in Scotland who may wish to visit one day. Find things to see and do in Scotland where you are always welcome.
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