Cavers is up for sale, but what do people know of it’s history;
In the 13th century the Baliol had obtained Cavers.
Robert the Bruce to Douglas, the lands of Kirkandrews, Liddesdale and Cavers;
Maps show the region and relationships of Cavers;
Strong Kerr-Douglas relations in the region;
Also William Douglas with land of Braidley, McPatrickhope, and Schaws, around the Hermitage Casle;
Also Elwald-Cavers relations;
Also in 1854;
Elliot of Cavers
Mark Elliott 11/2//2013
Mark – I love your sites here… I am a descendent of William Laing b. 1653 in Hawick… he was the Coventanter who we arrested 2x once in 1678 ( – sentenced to banishment to N. America colonies, but Providence saved him in London) and again in 1684 imprisoned in Edinburgh Toolbooth, again Privy Council sentenced him in May 1684 to banishment/indenture, sent to Leith and then shipped to New York and arrived June 1684. Changed names to Lyne to hide identity and married Dutch Reformed girl Marie Van Den Burg in May 1688 in New York… I am writing a book and all of your info is concurrent with my research of the Laings in the Borders… allied/associated to Douglas family (Cavers and Lothians/Redhouse), married into Elliots of Stobs, Armstrongs, Murray, Erskines, Featherstones, owned Redhouse in Lothians-bought from Douglas, descendant of John Laing (Bishop of Glasgow and High Chancellor), oldest record to Langs/Laings in Borders goes to Dumfriesshire, Roxburghshire, Berwickshire, Cumbria/Carlisle, and the Reid/Tyne River valleys… it is believed they took their name after Thor Longus who was their leader and benefactor aroud 1050 to 1120AD and my Y-DNA is E-M183 (from N./W. Africa similar to the Mauretanian/Numidian Roman Soldiers/Officers stationed on Hardrians Wall especially in Cumbria (Maryport/Alauna to Papcastle to Carlisle to Coria/Corbridge)… I have established a Y-DNA link to the Laings in Scotland through data and research… Family Tree DNA has confirmed we are the same haplogroup and Y-DNA family… do you have any info and history on Laings/Langs of the Borders? Were they ever associated with Lyne/Peebles/etc? There are a ton of Roman sites in South Scotland and North England-Cumbria/Northumbria (both forts and civilian vici/vicus outside forts)… I know these soldiers intermarried to the local Celtic-Brittonic tribes (ie. Carvetti “people of the Deer” in Latin – in fact Romans called sites, ie. “Alauna of the Carvetti”, on archealogical sites found today) whose symbol was the Deer/Elk/Moose like Elwald and other Border clans crests… also the Roman legions used the Boar and Bull (ie., Legio Victrix) as their symbols and many crests bear those on the Borders too… my Y-DNA is closely aligned to the Cole family of Britain too and although they came from Cornwall/Devon they had close ties to Cumbria and their crest was the Bull as well…
Any assistance would be greatly appreciated! Cheers and Thanks!
Hi Mark.. forgot to mention I am a direct descendent of James Laing and Helen Elliot (of Stobs) who were William Laing’s parents and they lived in Hawick where William and his siblings were born…
James’s father was Adam Laing and mother was Isobell Armstrong/Armstrang (daughter of John Armstrong “Jock of the Glen”)
Helen’s father was William Eliot/Elliot/Ellot (grandson of Gilbert Elliot of Stobs) and mother was Jeanne Murray (Murrays of Abercairne).
We share a Celtic Britton heritage and my DNA mix reflects this too..
Please see my last Comment note for help… cheers and thanks!