Richard Lawson of High Riggs

Richard Lawson of High Riggs (c.1450–1507) was 15th century Scottish landowner and lawyer who served as Provost of Edinburgh in 1492 and 1493 and 1504/5.[1]

He was trained as a lawyer and largely served the country in the role of ambassador in treaties with England and as King's Council. He owned a country estate known as Cairnmuir House in the Pentland Hills.[2]

The area known as High Riggs still exists as a street name in Edinburgh and previously related to a wide area of high fields, south-west of the city, "Rigg" being Scots for a field, normally of linear form.[3]

He served as Town Clerk in Edinburgh in 1482. He was Justice Clerk from 1489 to 1495.[4]

Family


His son Robert Lawson was one of the many killed at the Battle of Flodden in 1513..[5] His son James Lawson was an MP in the Scottish Parliament in 1528, 1531 and 1532.[6]

His grandson James Lawson, Lord Lawson was both a Senator of the College of Justice from 1532 and Provost of Edinburgh in 1532.[7]

In 1568, a descendant, John Lawson of High Riggs, made complaint to the Town Council that the Flodden Wall had been built in such a way as to cause the flooding of his property. In 1573 the Council declared parts of his building at High Riggs as unsafe and a public danger. This house known as theOver Bowwas demolished in 1877.[8]

References


  1. Lord Provosts of Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh Council public notice board
  2. https://canmore.org.uk/site/50245/cairnmuir-house
  3. Concise Scots Dictionary
  4. Notes from the Old Edinburgh Club: vol 18
  5. Notes from the Old Edinburgh Club: vol 18
  6. The Scottish Irish by Charles a Hanna
  7. Notes from the Old Edinburgh Club: vol 18
  8. Grant's Old and New Edinburgh
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