The Burnetts of Leys
After the mid 1200s there are not many records extant of the Burnetts of Faringdoun, but mostscholars agree that the two main branches of the family, the Burnetts of Leys and the Burnets ofBarns are descended from this family. (A short history of the Burnets of Barns and other Burnettbranches will be found on later pages).
The Burnetts who went to the northeast of Scotland did so after having been granted lands there byKing Robert the Bruce for having supported him against Edward I of England in the War forScottish Independence. In fact, the Chief of this branch of the family, Alexander Burnard, becamean able and valued supporter of The Bruce and was rewarded with grants of part of the RoyalForest of Drum as well as neighboring lands which had been forfeited by the Comyns. As his badgeof office as Royal Forester of Drum, Alexander was given the Horn of Leys (photograph). On thelands taken over by the family at this time, there lay, to the north of the village of Banchory, a stretchof shallow water known as the Loch of Banchory or the Loch of Leys. In the center of the loch wasa crannog (an artificial island), which had been a place of refuge for centuries. For the first twohundred years of the Burnetts' residency on Deeside, this crannog provided the site for the family'sprincipal stronghold. The loch is now drained and nothing remains but the island mound. Thecrannog may be deserted but the memory of the Burnetts' first home is kept alive in the traditionalScots territorial designation of the head of the family as "Burnett of Leys".
The crannog provided the Burnetts with security, and since the family was not politically ambitious,life was peaceful on the Loch of Leys. They spent most of their time in the pursuit of wealth andland, through judicious marriages and friendly relations with the church, in particular, the Abbey ofArbroath, whose lands covered much of the territory of the county of Kincardineshire adjoining theBurnett estates. The family did not play much of a role in national affairs, preferring to keep theirestates (and lives) in tact.
However, the 4th Laird, Robert Burnett, became Deputy Sheriff of Kincardinshire and is believedto have fought for the King against the island rebels in one of the bloodiest and most savageencounters in Scottish history (the Battle of Harlaw Hill, July 1411).
His son, another Alexander, was rewarded with Banchory as a free barony by fighting for James I,who was murdered only three months later.
In 1543 a marriage was arranged between the 9th Laird, another Alexander, and Janet Hamilton,the natural daughter of Canon Hamilton of the Abbey of Arbroath...as her dowry Janet brought asubstantial amount of church lands. (In future years much land was added to Janet's dowry througharranged marriages and outright gifts). In 1560, Alexander and Janet decided that a better homewas needed for their family, so the construction of Crathes Castle was begun, taking 40 years tocomplete. In 1563 Alexander fought for Mary, Queen of Scots at the Battle or Corrichie.
Unfortunately, Alexander's son and grandson both died in quick succession after him, so hisgreat-grandson, also named Alexander, succeeded to the lands and was finally able to completeCrathes Castle. This Alexander was a most benevolent man who built a new church in Banchoryand gave much money to the poor.
The next Laird, Thomas Burnett, succeeed his father in 1619 and was knighted by James VI. Hewas later made a Baronet of Nova Scotia by Charles I. Thomas' son had died in early life, so hisgrandson, another Alexander, was his successor. This Alexander was one of the few Burnett "blacksheep". He was described at the age of 16 as being "dissolute and naughty" and had managed tofather at least 6 children by the time of his death at age 26.
The 3rd Baronet, Sir Thomas, who with his wife Margaret produced 21 children in twenty-twoyears, was a member of the Scottish Parliament, and after the Act of Union with England in 1707was a member of the Westminster Parliament as well.
Alexander, the 4th Baronet, was mainly famous for refusing to join either of the Jacobite Risings of1715 and 1745. (An interesting sidebar to the "Forty-Five is that Prince Charles Edward Stewart("Bonnie Prince Charlie") was sometimes referred to in cipher as "Mr. Burnett" during his time inScotland). About 1746 the 4th Baronet's son was killed by a splinter of rock during the draining ofthe Loch of Leys. After that tragedy, Alexander developed a "boodie fear of beasties".
In 1759 the 5th Baronet died unmarried and a 7-year battle between two rival Burnett cousinsensued. In the end, Thomas Burnett of Criggie won the legal battle for the title and Crathes Castle,His son Robert fought against the "rebels" in the American Revolutionary War and later became the7th Baronet. Three of Robert's sons succeeded to the title and all three died unmarried.
Meanwhile, the heir to the title and Crathes Castle had emigrated to California where he was anextremely successful cattle rancher. He once owned half of the site that was to become the city ofLos Angeles. After marrying a New York woman, Robert returned to Crathes to become 11thBaronet. His son James had died previously, so Sir Robert's brother Colonel Thomas succeeded as12th Baronet.
Colonel Thomas' son, Major General Sir James Lauderdale Gilbert Burnett of Leys became the13th Baronet and was the last in residence at Crathes Castle. His 2 sons, Alexander and Roger,both died as young men (Alexander at Oxford and Roger during World War II while serving withthe Scots Guards). The estate passed through his daughter Elizabeth to her son James ComynAmherst Cecil, who was obliged to change his surname to Burnett in order to succeed to the lands.The title of Baronet passes only through the male line, so the the heir to the dormant Baronetcy ofLeys is Alexander William Burnett Ramsay who lives in Australia.
In 1952 the 13th Baronet gave Crathes Castle and a portion of the estate to the Scottish people,where it remains under the care of the National Trust for Scotland.
The current Laird, James Comyn Amherst Burnett of Leys and his wife Fiona, reside with theirfamily in the House of Crathes, near the Castle. "Jamie"'s official title is "Chief of the Name and ofthe House of Burnett".
The Burnett of Leys tartan.
Information provided by: Mary Dunklee, Secretary and Membership Chairperson,House of Burnett& the House of Burnett website
