Cecilia Bisset

• Preferred Name: Cecilia Bisset
  
• Alternate Name: De Fenton
  
• Gender: F
  
• Death: ABT 1320 in Beauly, Inverness-shire, Scotland at LATI: N7.4667 LONG: E4.4667
  
• Birth: ABT 1250 in Beauly, Inverness-shire, Scotland at LATI: N7.4667 LONG: E4.4667
  
• Residence: inherited Beaufort from father
  
• FSID: GVMJ-R9S
  
• Notes:

  === Life Sketch ===
  «b»Biography«/b»
  Cecilia was born about 1250 eldest daughter to John Bisset younger of the Aird, Lovat and Beaufort.
  
  Her father died leaving a young son John and Cecilia with her sisters Elizabeth and Muriel. A few years later they became co-heiresses of the considerable Bisset estate on the death of their brother. The estate comprised lands of Aird in Invernessshire, parts of Strathmore in Perthshire, property in Ulster in Ireland and also property in Yorkshire in England.
  
  At Westminster, London on 27 Oct 1278, Cecilia eldest daughter, and one of the heirs of John Biset junior deceased, appointed her husband William de Fenton to receive in the English King's court her purparty of her father's lands in Ireland. Elizabeth, another daughter, appointed Andrew de Bosco her husband to same effect. Mulrella, the youngest daughter appointed David de Graham her husband to same effect. Cecilia brought with her a third share of the lands and being eldest daughter, the Castle and title of Beaufort in the Aird.
  
  On 10 Aug 1279 William de Fenton and Cecilia his wife, Andrew de Bosco and Elizabeth his wife, and David de Graham and Muriel his wife; those ladies being the daughters and of age were found to be the nearest heirs to the deceased John Bisset. Cecilia inherited the title of Beaufort.
  
  Cecilia married about 1265 to Sir William Fenton of that Ilk and Baikie who also adopted the title of Beaufort.
  
  «b»Sir William Fenton and Cecilia had issue:«/b»
  1.) John
  
  2.) Alice, mar. Sir Henry St.Clair of Roslin
  
  They resided mainly at Baikie in Angus but also at Beaufort near Beauly. On a map surveyed by Timothy Pont circa 1585, Baikie is shown surrounded by a loch and is depicted as a castle rather than a house whereas in Robert Edwards map later in the seventeenth century, the symbol used for Baikie suggests that it was the house of a lesser laird. Pont's map also shows domestic buildings called Baikie at the southwestern edge of the loch, indubitably, the earlier mentioned Mains of Baikie. Pont also covered this area in another of his maps, whereon the castle is again shown on the loch but the associated buildings at Mains of Baikie are set on both banks of the stream draining the loch to the west.
  
  At Westminster on 27 Oct 1279 King Edward I notified his bailiffs and subjects in Ireland, that Cecilia wife of William Fenton had attorned before the king William her husband and David Graham, in all pleas and plaints in Irish courts. Edward granted at the instance of Cecilia that William and David may make attorneys for Cecilia in the King's Chancery of Ireland. 'To endure for 2 years unless Cecilia shall in the meanwhile go to Ireland. Similar letters for Muriel wife of David Graham, under the names of the said David her husband and William Fenton. Similar letters for Elizabeth wife of Andrew de Bosco, under the names of the said Andrew her husband, and William Fenton.
  
  In 1280, William de Fenton, as Lord of Beaufort in right of his wife, had taken possession of a half-davoch of church land in Kiltarlity which was claimed by the Bishop of Moray. The dispute led to both Sir William and Cecilia being excommunicated. This pressure persuaded Sir William to concede and an agreement was reached with the Bishop.
  
  In 1304-5, William de Fenton and his wife, Cecilia came to the English king's peace after the first war of Scottish Independence and requested remedy of withholding of Cecilia's heritage that was then in the hands of King Edward.
  
  William de Fenton possibly died about 1316 and was survived by his wife Cecilia Byset. In her widowhood, for the salvation of her soul and souls of her ancestors and her successors, she granted to the Valliscaulians in the House of Beauly, all the third part of the land of Altyr that belonged to her by hereditary right.texts
  
  Cecilia died about 1320 possibly at Beaufort near Beauly.
  ________________________________________________
  CECILIA Bisset ([1250/55]-). The Inquisition of a jury in Ireland dated 10 Aug 1278 names "William de Fenton and Cecilia his wife, Andrew de Bosco and Elizabeth his wife, and David de Graham and Muriel his wife…his daughters and of age" as "nearest heirs" of "John Byset son and heir of the late John Byset…[who] died 19 years ago"[100]. The chronology suggests that the three daughters of John Bisset were minors when their father died. A charter dated 27 Oct 1278 records that "Cecilia eldest daughter and one of the heirs of John Biset junior deceased" appointed "her husband William de Fentone" to receive her share of her father’s lands[101]. "Cecilia Bysath sponsa quondam domini Willielmi de Fentoun" donated "tertiam partem terræ de Altyr" to Beauly priory by undated charter, dated to after 1315, witnessed by "Domino Patricio de Grahame milite…"[102]. m WILLIAM de Fenton
  
  From Life Sketch
  CECILIA Bisset ([1250/55]-). The Inquisition of a jury in Ireland dated 10 Aug 1278 names "William de Fenton and Cecilia his wife, Andrew de Bosco and Elizabeth his wife, and David de Graham and Muri

1. Alice Fenton, b. 1270 in Fenton, East Lothian, Scotland     d. 1336 in Roslin, Midlothian, Scotland