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.
Elizabeth Dundas | |
|---|---|
 Lady Stairs House, Lawnmarket, Edinburgh | |
| Born | 1650 |
| Died | 25 May 1731 (aged 80–81) |
| Spouse | John Dalrymple |
Early life edit
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.[citation needed]
She had one brother, John Dundas, who was born in 1639.[citation needed]
Marriage and later life edit
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]
Lady Stair’s House edit
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 edit
- ^ a b c d e f "Elizabeth Dundas | Mapping Memorials to Women in Scotland". womenofscotland.org.uk. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
- ^ a b c "Elizabeth Dundas". geni_family_tree. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
- ^ 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 5 April 2019.
- ^ "Edinburgh, 477 Lawnmarket, 2 Lady Stair's Close | Canmore". canmore.org.uk. Retrieved 5 April 2019.