Papers of the family of Don Wauchope of Edmonstone

The collection is composed of bonds of provision, discharges and statements, bonds of corroboration, discharges of interest, dispositions and assignations, bonds of relief, calculations of interest, notes of mines and seams at Edmonstone and Wolmote, lists of bonds due, and states of bonds due.

Edmonstone is south east of Edinburgh, adjacent to Little France and to Craigmillar, historically in the parish of Newton in Midlothian. Its name derives from Edmund's tun, or farm. The estate belonged to the Edmonstone family from 1248 until the early 17th century. It briefly belonged to the Rait family before passing to John Wauchope (1633-1709) in 1671, through marriage. Wauchope was related to the Wauchopes of Niddrie Merschell. In 1672 he became Lord of Session and assumed the title Lord Edmonstone.

Like the estates of neighbouring Niddry and Duddingston, there had been coal on the Edmonstone estate.

In the 1940s the roof of Edmonstone House was removed by surviving family in an effort to escape taxation and it subsequently fell into decay.

Today, Edmonstone is part of suburban and built-up Edinburgh and close to the outer ring road.

Generally open for consultation to bona fide researchers, but please contact repository for details in advance.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

There is a handlist of documents within the collection, composed of lists of names of persons mentioned. Important finding aids generally are: the alphabetical Index to Manuscripts held at Edinburgh University Library, Special Collections and Archives, consisting of typed slips in sheaf binders and to which additions were made until 1987; and the Index to Accessions Since 1987.

Check the local Indexes for details of any additions.

While it is uncertain whether other references to the name 'Wauchope' in Library collections refer to the Wauchope Family of Edmonstone, the local Indexes do show various references to Wauchope material (check the Indexes for more details): letter to Wauchope from the Earl of Dalkeith, 1893, at Dk.2.14, p.38; letter of Mrs Wauchope to Professor Jameson, 1832, at Gen. 129/238;letter to Mrs Wauchope from Professor A. H. Charteris, at Dk.2.14, p.37; letter of Colonel Wauchope to Sir C. J. Pearson, 1895, at Gen.756, no. 291; letter to J. Wauchope, 1836, at La.II.646/145/1; letter of Jean Wauchope to Sir C. J. Pearson, 1905, Gen. 756, no.292 ; grant of CBE to Mrs Jean Mary Wauchope, 1920, Dk.2.14, p.55; Mrs John Wauchope of Edmonstone and a power of attorney in favour of Sir J. G. Baird of Saughtonhall, Baronet, her father, 1820, at La.II.492; and, Sir John Wauchope of Niddrie, documents and letters, 1654, 1659-1661, at La.III.354/2.

In addition, the UK National Register of Archives (NRA), updated by the Historical Manuscripts Commission, notes several locations of Wauchope related material. Of the Don-Wauchope family, baronets, of Edmonstone and Newton, there is: family and estate papers, 17th century-20th century, Midlothian Council Archives, Ref. WE NRA 10134 Don-Wauchope; deeds and legal papers, circa 1370-1778, National Archives of Scotland, Ref. GD237/7 NRA 32483 Tods, and papers relating to mining, 1705-1849, Ref. GD1/1145; and accounts for work on Edmonstone House, 1830-1832, National Library of Scotland, Manuscripts Division, Ref. MS 14247. Of the Wauchope family of Niddrie Marischal, there is: deeds, estate and family papers, 15th century-19th century, National Archives of Scotland, Ref. GD247/176-93 NRA 10747 Brodie; and, accounts, correspondence and papers, 17th century-1836, National Library of Scotland, Manuscripts Division.