- Walter fitz Gilbert of Cadzow
Sir Walter fitz Gilbert of Cadzow, 1st Laird of
Cadzow (d. c. 1346) was a Scottish nobleman. The son ofGilbert fitz William of Hameldone, and an unknown wife, possibly Isabelle Randolph. He is the first historically confirmed progenitor of theHouse of Hamilton , which includes the Dukes of Hamilton, Dukes of Abercorn and Earls of Haddington.Umfraville or Beaumont?
There is some confusion as to the ancestry of his grandfather William de Hameldone, who could, it has been argued, be descended from the Umfraville family of
Northumberland , or the Beaumont Earls of Leicester. Both assertions are based on armorial evidence (both families usedCinquefoil s in their arms), and references to various Hamilton place-names in Northumberland andLeicestershire . The Leicester connection is considered more likely asRobert de Beaumont, 3rd Earl of Leicester is known to have had a son William.Documentary evidence
Walter fitz Gilbert first appears as a witness to a charter of
James Stewart, 5th High Steward of Scotland granting land to the monks ofPaisley Abbey in 1294, and also later in the year in another granting land to the same establishment by Sir Herbert Maxwell. The other signatories were all minor landowners inRenfrewshire . ["Scots Peerage Vol. IV" p 340] Fitz Gilbert was present atBerwick Castle to sign theRagman Roll , alongside the majority of other Scots Nobility, at the behest ofEdward I of England . He is styled on that document as "Walter fiz Gilbert de Hameldone". ["ibidem]Wars of Scottish Independence
During the risings of
William Wallace , and laterRobert the Bruce , Walter fitz Gilbert remained loyal to the English party, holding lands inFife of King Edward. ["Scots Peerage Vol. IV" p 341] By 1314 he was constable ofBothwell Castle inSouth Lanarkshire . Following the defeat ofEdward II of England at theBattle of Bannockburn , numerous fleeing English noblemen sought refuge there, including theEarl of Hertford . A detachment of the Scots army, under King Robert's brotherEdward Bruce arrived at Bothwell and demanded that the castle and its occupants yield, Fitz Gilbert complied and surrendered the castle and left Hertford and his retinue to their fate. ["ibidem"]Later life
Joining the Bruce party, Walter fitz Gilbert was granted lands of
Dalserf , previously owned by theComyn faction, and was later rewarded with the barony ofCadzow andCadzow Castle on the banks of the Clyde. He was a Justice ofLanark in 1321, and was knighted the following year. In 1323 he wa granted the lands ofKinneil ,Lambert andAuldcathy in present day West Lothian, andKirkcowan inWigtownshire . ["ibidem"]Walter fitz Gilbert was present at the
Battle of Halidon Hill in 1333, fighting in the division of the High Steward, (laterRobert II of Scotland ), but is thought to have escaped the carnage there. There is little else heard of him. He died prior to 1346, when his son David fought at theBattle of Neville's Cross as Laird of Cadzow. ["Scots Peerage Vol. IV" p 342]Marriage and Issue
Walter fitz Gilbert married Mary Gordon, daughter of Sir Adam Gordon of that Ilk, ancestor of the Earls of Huntly.By her he had two sons: ["ibidem"]
*David fitz Walter of Cadzow , Ancestor of the Dukes of Hamilton and Dukes of Abercorn
*John fitz Walter , Ancestor of the Earls of Haddington and the Hamiltons ofInnerwick References
Notes
ources
*Balfour Paul, Sir James, "The Scots Peerage" Vol IV. Edinburgh 1907 [http://www.archive.org/details/scotspeeragefoun04pauluoft]
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