Laurence Abernethy Baron Saltoun

  General Notes:

Laurence Abernethy (c.1400-1463) was created a lord of parliament as Laurence, Lord Saltoun of Abernethy, on 28 June 1445. His elevation at this date suggests he was regarded as a supporter of the Douglases, who were then dominant in government. But he appears as a frequent royal charter witness in April and May 1452, offering support to the king in the crucial period following the murder of William, eighth earl of Douglas. As justiciar, he held a justice court at Lochmaben in 1454, where some of his judgments may have antagonized the already beleaguered Douglases, for his lands were harried and burnt by the ninth earl of Douglas in 1455. He was dead before 7 December 1463, when his son William appears as a royal charter witness as Lord Abernethy; confirmation of his title was given on 28 January 1464. The importance of the family as substantial landowners at that time is demonstrated by the enumeration of its possessions, which included Saltoun in Haddingtonshire, Rothiemay in Banffshire, Redie in Angus, Dalgety in Fife, Glencorse in Edinburghshire, and other lands in Lauderdale and Roxburgh.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Address: East Saltoun, Roxburgh.

Laurence married.