Mary McGeachen Of Mearns

• Preferred Name: Mary McGeachen Of Mearns^[1]
  
• Gender: F
  
• Fact: with note: Description: https://www.geni.com/people/Mary-McGeachen-of-Mearns/6000000000172751713?through=6000000001713374154
  
• Death: 1262 in Newton Mearns, Renfrewshire, Scotland at LATI: N5.771 LONG: E4.3367
  
• Birth: 1220 in Newton Mearns, Renfrewshire, Scotland at LATI: N5.771 LONG: E4.3367
  
• FSID: GHTD-NCD
  
• Notes:

  === Life Sketch ===
  http://thepeerage.com/p49894.htm#i498936:
  Mary de Mearns is the daughter of Robert de Mearns.1
  She married Sir Aymer de Maxwell.1
  Children of Mary de Mearns and Sir Aymer de Maxwell
  Sir John Maxwell of Calderwood, Dryps and Netherpollok+1
  Sir Herbert de Maxwell of Carlaverock+1 d. 22 Jul 1298
  Edward Maxwell1
  Sir Alexander Maxwell1
  Citations
  1.Mosley, Charles, editor. Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes. Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003, volume 2, page 2648.
  
  === Mary was the heiress of a considerable e ===
  Mary was the heiress of a considerable estate, particularly the barony and castle of Mearns, in Renfrewshire, which, when she married Eumerus De Macuswell of Caerlaverock, became part of his holdings.
  
  === My 20th ===
  Great Grandmother
  
  === Natural relationship to McGeachan, Rolan ===
  Natural relationship to McGeachan, Roland Natural relationship to Unknown Father Mary was the heiress of a considerable estate, particularly the barony and castle of Mearns, in Renfrewshire, which, when she married Eumerus De Macuswell of Caerlaverock, became part of his holdings.
  
  === Possibly daughter or grandaughter of Rol ===
  Possibly daughter or grandaughter of Roland de Mearns.
  
  === Aymer de Makeswell married Mary, the hei ===
  Aymer de Makeswell married Mary, the heiress of Mearns, before the year 1255, and with he he acquired the lands and barony of Mearns in Refrewshire.
  
  The Mearns, which Aymer de Makeswell acquired by this marriage, lies in the south-eastern portion of the shire of Renfrew. It is an inland territory, and was, in remoted times, chiefly remarkable for the pasturage of cattle and its dairy product. Though not of a mountainous character, it is diversified by the undulating or swelling nature of the ground. Its surface gradually rises from the eastern extremity to the west of upper part of the barony, in which is the muir or commonty of Mearns, forming an extensive tract of pasture land, in which in ancient times numerous proprietors and vassals had the right of pasturing their cattle, but which at last was portioned out among the respective claimants or heritors. It is not distinguished by any large river, but there are several lochs in the muir, the most extensive of which are the Brother Loch, which is about three miles in circumference, and the Little Loch, the Black Loch, and the White Loch, all of which are nearly as large, and abound in trout and other fish.
  
  The affiliation of Mary of Mearns has not been established by documentary evidence. But it is presumed that she became heiress of the family of that name, and that with her Aymer acquired the barony of Mearns, which continued in possession of the family of Maxwell for about 400 years. Such is the account which Crawfurd gives of the acquisiton of the Mearns by the Maxwells. In a MS history of the Maxwells in the British Museum, the addition of the barony of the Mearns to the family inheritance of the Maxwells is similarly explained.
  
  'Homer [Aymer], Lord Maxwell of Carlaverock and Mernes,' it is said, '[is] recorded to have been present in Parliament, holden by King Alexander the Second, in the twenty-first year of his reigne, anno 1244, and so to have been a Lord of Parliament,' [and to have] 'married Mary Makgaghan, heretrix of the Mearns.' This MS is incorrect in various of its statements concerning the family of Maxwell; but the particulars, now quoted, taken in connexion with what we know from other circumstances, there is reason to accept as in the main correct.
  
  The records of the period enable us to trace what we understand to be the ancestry of Mary of Mearns, wife of Aymer. Rothland or Roland of Mernes, the first whome we have found mentioned under the designation of Mearnes, was witness to a charter by Eschina, wife of Walter, High Steward of Scotland, son of Allan, to the Church of St James, St Mirin, and St Milburga of Paisley, and the Prior of that place, of a caruacte of land in Molle, undated, but which must have been granted before the year 1177, when her husband, who was one of the witnesses, died. Rodlannus de Merness was also witness to a charter, about the year 1200, by Nicholas de Constentin, granting to the monks of the Abbey of Paisley a portion of his land of Innerwick; and, about 1204, he was a witness to a confirmation by Alan, son of Walter, and High Steward of Scotland, confirming to the monks of Paisley that donation which Henry of St Martin had made to them by his counsel of his whole land between Kert and Griff. Roland was succeeded by his son, Nicholas de Mernes. Nicholas, son of Roland, John de Mundegumery, and four others, granted to the Abbey of Melrose certain lands in the territory of Innerwick. The charter is without date, but it was probably granted about the year 1170. The seal of Nicholas de Mernis is still appended to this charter. It is of an oval shape, charged with a fleur de lis, not on a shield. The seal of JOhn de Mundegumery, which is also appended, bears in like manner a fleur de lis. The next who appears on record as Baron of Mearns was Robert de Mearns, probably the grandson of Roland. Robert de Mearness was witness to a license granted by King Alexander the Third, dated at Edinburgh 1st June 1250, to the Abbot and Convent of Paisley, to rebuild and repair the fishing-pond which they were wont to have upon the water of the Leven, near Dumbarton. Richard of Mearnes, who in 1262 was witness to a charter by Cecilia, late spouse of John of Perthec, granting to the Abbot and Convent of Paisley the whole right which belonged to her in some land which lay in the town of Rutherglen, may be supposed to have been a younger brother of Robert. Mary of Mearns, with whom Aymer acquired the barony of Mearns, was, it is probable, the daughter of Robert of Mearns, and succeeded to the property on the death of her brother Richard without heirs.
  
  The Mearns was early formed into a parish. The Church of Mearns is mentioned as attached to the Abbey of Paisley even in the time of Roland of Mearns. That church, with its lands and teinds, was granted to the abbey by Helyas, clerk, son of Fulbert, and canon of Glasgow; and between the years 1189 and 1199 that grant was confirmed by Peter of Polloc, Helyas's brother. It was also confirmed by King William the Lion; by Jocelin, Bishop of Glasgow, in whose diocease it was; and on 2d June 1219 by Pope Honorius the Third, in the third year of his pontificate. The name of the Maxwells is not, however, associated with that church in such of the family writs of the House of Maxwell as have been preserved, or in others which have come under our notice, till about the year 1300, when various gifts were made to it by Herbert of Maxwell, Knight, as will be mentioned under the Memoir of Herbert.
  
  The ancient Castle of Mearns, of the time of Roland of Mearns and of Aymer, does not now exist. It probably stood on a commanding rocky eminence about a mile to the south-east of the villiage of Newton, on which was erected a new castle by Herbert, first Lord Maxwell, in whose time the original castle had fallen into a decayed condition. The new castle, which was built by Lord Maxwell, will be afterwards particulary described. From the top of the castle could be obtained an extensive and magnificent prospect of the surrounding country, very different indeed from what it now is in respect of the cultivation and population, the grand outlines, however, being exactly the same. Southward were the bleak moors of Eaglesham, gradually ascending to Ballygeich, and supplying pasture to the sheep and cattle of the territory. Towards the west, the eye ranged over large tracts of undulating ground, and extensive plantations of wood, and was attracted by the old parish church, and the hamlet of Newton, which was even then a village. Northward and eastward appeared the extensive valley of the Clyde, in all its primitive simplicity, beauty, and grandeur, and in the distance were to be seen the hills of Renfrewshire, Kilpatrick, and Campsy, while beyond them rose the loftier mountains which separate the HIghland from the Lowlands.
  
  In the Act of Parliament of King Alexander the Third, which was passed on 20th September 1255, and which excluded Aymer of Maxwell and others from the guardianship of the King, as already explained, the name of Mary, the wife of Aymer, in included, being the only lady named, from which it would appear that she occupied a place of special dignity amont the guardians of the minor King. [The Book of Carlaverock I:76-79]

• m. BEF 1240 in Scotland

1. Herbert Maxwell, b. ABT 1235 in Caerlaverock, Dumfriesshire, Scotland     d. 22 JUL 1298 in Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland
2. John Maxwell - First Lord of Pollok, b. 1243 in Pollok, Renfrewshire, Scotland, United Kingdom     d. 1306 in Strathclyde, Scotland

1. Title: The Peerage
   Publication: Name: http://thepeerage.com/p49894.htm#i498936;