Lords Colville of
Culross (1604)
1st Lord Colville, James Colville, b.1551, a.1604, d.1629
The name coming from the town of Coleville-sur-mer
in Normandy, Gilbert de Colville accompanied
William the Conqueror from France.
A later member of the family, Philip de Colville came north with David I and
was given baronies in Oxnam and Heton in Roxburghshire, and other lands in
Ayrshire, including Ochiltree. He later served as hostage for the release of
King William the Lion in 1174. The lands of Oxnam passed out of the family
c.1350 but they continued to use the placename in their title until much later.
In 1530, Sir James Colville (b.?, d.c.1540) exchanged Ochiltree for the barony
of Easter Wemyss with Sir James Hamilton of Finnart. Sir James was prosecuted
for treason for consorting with members of the Douglas
clan and died under forfeit. The forfeiture was rescinded after his death,
allowing his son, also James Colville (b.1532, d.1561), so succeed to his
estates. He married Janet Douglas, daughter of Sir Robert Douglas of Lochleven
(himself father of two earls, of Morton and of Buchan), and their eldest son was raised to the peerage
as 1st Lord Colville of Culross. He served in the Huguenot French
Army under Henry of Navarre. He returned to Scotland in 1582 in the company of
Francis Stewart, 1st Earl of Bothwell,
and was soon after involved in the Raid of Ruthven, after which he was
temporarily under sentence of forfeiture, though this was later lifted by the
King. He obtained a grant of the lands of the Cistercian monastery of Culross
and when his nephew John Colville (of whom more later), Commendator of Culross,
resigned, James had the lands erected into a temporal lordship. In later years
he returned to France
and was knighted by Henry, now King Henry IV.
2nd Lord Colville, James Colville, b.1604, a.1629, d.1654
Grandson of the 1st Lord and Isabel Ruthven, daughter of
Patrick Ruthven, 3rd Lord Ruthven (for whom see the earls of Gowrie) and son of Robert Colville, Master of Colville
(b.?, d.1614) and Christian Bruce (of the Bruces of Blairhall).
3rd Lord Colville, William Colville, b.?, a.1654, d.1656
Son of the 2nd Lord and Magdalen Young (b.?, d.1638),
daughter of Sir Peter Young of Seton. He died unmarried.
4th Lord Colville, John Colville, b.?, a.1656, d.a.1678
Younger brother of the 3rd Lord. He also died unmarried.
5th Lord Colville, Alexander Colville, b.c.1666, a.a.1678,
d.1717
The succession now passed via the 1st Lord’s grandfather’s
younger son and half-uncle Alexander Colville (b.?, d.1597), Commendator of
Culross and Lord of Session. He married Nicola Dundas, daughter of Alexander
Dundas of Fingask. Their son John Colville (b.1573, d.1645-1650) married
Elizabeth Melville, daughter of Sir James Melville of Hallhill. Their son
Alexander Colville (b.1610, d.1676), Reverend and Principal of St Mary’s
College, St Andrews, married Anne le Blanc.
Their son John Colville (b.1640, d.1677-1678), also Reverend, married Mary
Preston, daughter of Sir John Preston of Valleyfield.
Their son succeeded de jure as 5th Lord although he did not assume
the title.
6th Lord Colville, John Colville, b.1690, a.1717, d.1741
Son of the 5th Lord and Mary Erskine, daughter of Sir Charles
Erskine, 1st Baronet Erskine of Cambo. As his father had not assumed
the title, it was not added to the roll of peerage at the Act of Union, and he
had to petition the King for his peerage. This was referred to the House of
Lords in 1723, who determined the claim in his favour, allowing him to be added
to the roll. He was an active soldier and was with the Cameronians at the siege
of Gibraltar. He reached the rank of
Lieutenant-Colonel in 1739 and commanded the 25th Foot Regiment at Cartagena, where he died
of an epidemic that took severe toll over the troops.
7th Lord Colville, Alexander Colville, b.1717, a.1741, d.1770
Son of the 6th Lord and Elizabeth Johnston (b.?, d.1748)
(described as an Irish lady). He joined the Royal Navy and as
Commander-in-Chief of North America in 1760 was responsible for breaking the
French siege of Quebec.
He reached the rank of Rear-Admiral in 1762 and was Vice-Admiral of the White
in 1769.
8th Lord Colville, John Colville, b.1724-1725, a.1770, d.1811
Younger brother of the 7th Lord. He joined the British Army
and reaching the rank of lieutenant in the 21st Foot Regiment. He
fought at Fontenoy in 1745 and at Culloden in 1746 under the Duke of Cumberland.
He retired in 1764 but remained active for many years afterwards succeeding his
brother as lord.
9th Lord Colville, John Colville, b.1768, a.1811, d.1849
Son of the 8th Lord and Amelia Webber (b.?, d.1788). He joined
the Royal Navy in 1780 and saw action in
the West Indies and during the wars with France. He was a Representative
Peer from 1818 to 1849 and achieved the rank of Admiral of the White in 1847.
He married twice but had no surviving children.
10th Lord Colville, Charles John Colville, b.1818, a.1849, d.1903
Nephew of the 9th Lord, being son of that man’s younger
brother General Charles Colville (b.1770, d.1843), who fought at the Battle of
Waterloo, and Jane Mure (b.?, d.1843). Educated at Harrow,
he reached the rank of Captain in the 11th Hussars. After he succeeded
his uncle, he was a Representative Peer from 1850 to 1885. He was Chief Equerry
and Clerk Marshal to Queen Victoria
from 1852 to 1858 and was invested as a Privy Counsellor in 1866. He was Master
of the Buckhounds from 1866 to 1868 and Lord Chamberlain to Queen Alexandra
from 1873 to 1903. He was invested as a Knight of the Thistle in 1874 and in
1885 was created 1st Baron Colville of Culross in the Peerage of the
United Kingdom.
In 1896 he was invested as a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO),
and in 1902 was created 1st Viscount Colville of Culross, also in
the Peerage of the United
Kingdom.
Viscounts Colville of
Culross (1902)
1st Viscount Colville, Charles John Colville, b.1818, a.1902,
d.1903
2nd Viscount Colville, Charles Robert William Colville, b.1854,
a.1903, d.1928
Son of the 1st Viscount and Cecil Katherine Mary Carrington
(b.?, d.1907), .daughter of Robert John Carrington, 2nd Baron
Carrington of Upton.
He joined the British Army and served in the Zulu War in 1879. He reached the rank
of Major in the Grenadier Guards and in 1915 was made Lieutenant-Colonel of the
Territorial Force Reserve.
3rd Viscount Colville, Charles Alexander Colville, b.1888,
a.1928, d.1945
Son of the 2nd Viscount and Ruby Streatfield (b.?, d.1943). He
joined the Royal Navy and served in the First World War, reaching the rank of
Commander.
4th Viscount Colville, John Mark Alexander Colville, b.1933,
a.1945
Son of the 3rd Viscount and Kathleen Myrtle Gale (b.1905,
d.1986). Educated at Rugby
School and New College
Oxford, he was a minister in the Home Office from 1972 to 1974, made Queen’s Counsel
in 1978 and was Chairman of the Parole Board from 1988 to 1992. He served as a
Circuit Judge from 1993 to 1999. He is 4th Viscount, 4th Baron
and 13th Lord Colville of Culross and Chief of the Name and Arms of
Colville.
The courtesy title for the heir is Master of Colville.
(Last updated: 04/02/2010)