Elizabeth Dundas
Elizabeth Dundas | |
|---|---|
 Lady Stairs House, Lawnmarket, Edinburgh | |
| Born | 1650 |
| Died | 25 May 1731 |
| Spouse | John Dalrymple |
Elizabeth Dundas (1650 – 25 May 1731)[1], Lady Stair, was a Scottish noblewoman and owner of Lady Stair’s House in the Lawnmarket, in Edinburgh’s Old Town.
Early life
Elizabeth was born in 1650[2], the daughter of Sir John Dundas of Newliston and his wife Agnes Gray.[1] [3]She was the granddaughter of Sir William Gray of Pittendrum, and his wife Egidia or Geida Smith.
She had one brother, John Dundas, who was born in 1639. [4]
Marriage and later life
In 1655 Elizabeth inherited the bankrupt estates of her father[4].
In 1667 she was forcibly abducted, however, although this was investigated, no conviction was made[4].
Around 1668/9[1] she married John Dalrymple, the First Earl of Stair (1648-1707). Between 1670-1680[2] she had 6 sons and 4 daughters, although only 3 sons and one daughter survived childhood[1].
She died on 25th May 1731[1], aged 81[2].
Lady Stair’s House
Elizabeth’s grandparents, Sir William Gray and Egidia Smith built the house now known as Lady Stair’s House in 1622.
By 1719 Elizabeth was a widow, and she bought her grandparents’ house[3], known then as Lady Gray’s House after her grandmother[1]. It was originally left to her mother’s younger sister. She lived here until her death in 1731[5]
In 1765 the house was sold by her grandson, John Dalrymple of Newliston, who became 5th Earl of Stair in 1768.
References
- ^ a b c d e f "Elizabeth Dundas | Mapping Memorials to Women in Scotland". womenofscotland.org.uk. Retrieved 2019-04-05.
- ^ a b c "Elizabeth Dundas". geni_family_tree. Retrieved 2019-04-05.
- ^ a b Berry, Elizabeth. (1990). The writing on the walls. Cockburn Association. Edinburgh: Published by the Cockburn Association in collaboration with the Scottish National Portrait Gallery and the Saltire Society. ISBN 0950515922. OCLC 24699879.
- ^ a b "dundas of newliston". www.dundasfamily.co.uk. Retrieved 2019-04-05.
- ^ "Edinburgh, 477 Lawnmarket, 2 Lady Stair's Close | Canmore". canmore.org.uk. Retrieved 2019-04-05.