Whitslaid Tower

Whitslaid Tower was an ancient seat of the Lauder family for over 300 years. It is today a ruin high above the eastern bank of the Leader Water two miles south of the burgh of Lauder, in the Scottish Borders. In feudal times it fell within a detached segment of the King's personal Barony of Renfrew.

In the National Archives (GD86/7) are Letters of Bailiary by Robert, Steward of Scotland (later Robert II King of Scots), Earl of Stratherne and baron of the barony of Renfrewe, with consent of John Steward, Earl of Carrick, his eldest son, constituting Alan de Lawedir, (feudal) tenant of Whytslade, their bailie of the lands and tenandries of Byrkynsyde, Ligeardwod [Legerwood] , Morystoun [Morristoun] , Whytslade and Auldynstoun, within the sheriffdom of Berwick-upon-Tweed, with the power to hold courts at any place in the lordship he pleases, to punish excesses, repledge men dwelling on their lands to their liberties etc, and to do any other thing pertaining to the office of bailie, dated October 16, 1369. One of the witnesses was Sir John de Lyle [or d'Lisle] , whose family held Stoneypath Tower, near Garvald but in the parish of Whittingehame. (This charter is also referred to in "The Scots' Peerage" by Sir James Balfour Paul, Edinburgh, 1908, volume V, p.550).

Two years later, on June 30, 1371, several charters under the Great Seal of Scotland were confirmed to Alan de Lauder: in two "Alano de Lawedre, Lord of Whitslaid", had re-confirmed to him by the Crown, the lands of Whytslaid (it is stated that he is already the feudal tenant there), Birkensyde, Legerwood, and Morriston, in Berwickshire, and the lands of Mertoun, Roxburghshire, (Merton had been forfeited by Alan le Suche), plus half the lands of the Lordship of Lauderdale and half of the fulling mill at Lauder, forfeited by John de Balliol, plus the lands of Newbyggyng in the constabulary of Lauder, with all the liberties and teinds thereof. The first charter was "signed in the ancient manor of Whitslade" at the Feast of John the Baptist. This indicates that the Tower at Whitslade was already old.

In a NAS Deed (RD2/5 fol.470), registered June 24, 1662, Gilbert Lauder of Whitslaid agrees to settle a debt of 400 merks due to James Wright, writer in Edinburgh. His cautioner in the original obligation, dated July 3, 1650, was "William Lauder of Gladswood, his brother".

In 1662 a Commission of numerous individuals was authorised to try two witches at Lauder. One of those on it was Gilbert Lauder of Whitslaid. (Refer: "The Privy Council Registers of Scotland", edited by P.Hume Brown, Edinburgh, 1908, p.264). This Gilbert Lauder of Whitslaid appears to have had financial problems and was forced to part with Whitslaid to an advocate named Mr. John Peter.

There was another Whitslaid near Selkirk, a Scott property.