Lords Torphichen (1564)
1st Lord Torphichen, James Sandilands, b.c.1511, a.1564, d.1596
Sandilands is the name given to
lands in Clydesdale and the original family may have been refugees from
Northumberland after the Norman Conquest. Sir James of Sandilands
distinguished himself in fighting against the English under King David II. He
married Eleanor Douglas, widow of Alexander Bruce, 1st Earl of
Carrick, son of Edward Bruce, King Robert’s brother, and daughter of Sir
Archibald Douglas of Liddesdale, Regent of Scotland
at the time, and from whom he obtained the lands of Calder in Midlothian. His
descendants remained close allies of the Crown. James Sandilands
was the son of Sir James Sandilands and Elizabeth Scrymgeour, daughter of James Scrymgeour
of Dudhope, Constable of Dundee and Hereditary
Standard-Bearer (for whom see the earls of Dundee). He was Preceptor of the Order of St John of
Jerusalem, Rhodes and Malta at Torphichen Preceptory. He lived in Malta for some years and in 1538
became Lord St John of Jerusalem in Scotland after the death of the previous
holder, which office gave him access to the Privy Council. He was a supporter
of the Reformation and welcomed John Knox to Calder, and from where Knox would
travel to Edinburgh to preach. He joined the Lords of the Congregation in 1559.
He travelled to France in 1560 to obtain the agreement of Queen Mary and her
father-in-law, King Francis to the Treaty of Edinburgh. He obtained the estates
and lordship of Torphichen, and other former Knights
Templar estates, in exchange for passing the lands of the knights of the Order
of St John of Jerusalem to Queen Mary, with an additional payment of 10,000
crowns to her. When he died without children, his title passed to his older
brother’s grandson.
2nd Lord Torphichen, James Sandilands, b.c.1574, a.1596, d.1617
Grandson of the 1st Lord’s older brother John Sandilands (b.?, d.c.1565) and
Margaret Barton, daughter of Sir Robert Barton of Over Barnton,
Lord High Treasurer, and son of Sir James Sandilands
of Calder (b.?, d.c.1576-1577) and Jean Ross, daughter of James Ross, 4th
Lord Ross of Halkhead. He
was a Privy Counsellor from 1605 to 1608.
3rd Lord Torphichen, James Sandilands, b.1596-1597, a.1617, d.1622
Son of the 2nd Lord and his first wife Elizabeth Heriot, daughter of James Heriot
of Trabroun. He voted against the Five Articles of Perth. He died unmarried.
4th Lord Torphichen, John Sandilands, b.c.1598, a.1622, d.1637
Younger brother of the 3rd Lord.
5th Lord Torphichen, John Sandilands, b.1625, a.1637, d.1649
Son of the 4th Lord and Isabel Dundas,
daughter of Sir Walter Dundas of Dundas. He was a member of the Committee for War for Edinburgh in 1647 and
protested against the Engagement to march into England on behalf of the King.
He died unmarried.
6th Lord Torphichen, Walter Sandilands, b.1629, a.1649, d.1696
Younger brother of the 5th Lord. He became a member of the Committee of Estates in 1650 and Burgess of
Edinburgh in 1660. He was a supporter of the Glorious Revolution and served on
the Committee of Fines and Forfeitures in 1690.
7th Lord Torphichen, James Sandilands, b.?, a.1696, d.1753
Son of the 6th Lord and his fourth wife Christian Primrose
(b.1647, d.1675). He joined the Earl
of Mar’s Regiment of Foot in 1702 and then transferred to the 7th Dragoon
Regiment, serving on the Continent under the Duke of Marlborough and reaching
the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. He was a supporter of the Union and fought
against the Jacobites at the Battle of Sheriffmuir. He retired from the Army in 1722 and was made
a Commissioner of the Police. He had eight sons, several of whom were killed in
action, including James Sandilands, Master of Torphichen (b.?, d.1749), who died of wounds received at
the Battle of Preston in 1745, Patrick Sandilands,
who commanded a ship of the East India Company and was lost at sea during a
storm, Andrew Sandilands (b.?, d.1776), who fought at
Dettingen and Fontenoy and
became a Marjor in the Royal Scots Fusiliers, Charles
Sandilands (b.?, d.1741), who died at Cartagena and Robert Sandilands
(b.?, d.1791), the youngest son, who served in the Scottish Brigade of the
Dutch Army.
8th Lord Torphichen, Walter Sandilands, b.1707, a.1753, d.1765
Son of the 7th Lord and Jean Hume (b.1683, d.1751), daughter
of Patrick Hume, 1st Earl of Marchmont. He became an Advocate in 1727 and was Sheriff-Depute of Midlothian
during the Rebellion of 1745, when he helped maintain order in Edinburgh during
the occupation by the Jacobite forces.
9th Lord Torphichen, James Sandilands, b.1759, a.1765, d.1815
Son of the 8th Lord and Elizabeth Sandilands
(b.?, d.1779). He joined the 21st Foot
Regiment (Royal Scots Fusiliers) in 1776 and served in America under General
Burgoyne and was at the surrender at Saratoga in 1777. After his release he joined
the 24th Foot Regiment (South Wales Borderers) and then in 1787
joined the Coldstream Guards, where he reached the
rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in 1793. he serve under the
Duke of York in Flanders in 1793 and 1794 before retiring from service. He was
a Representative Peer from 1790 to 1802. He married Anne Inglis,
daughter of Sir John Inglis, 4th Baronet Inglis of Cramond, but had no
children.
10th Lord Torphichen, James Sandilands, b.1770, a.1815, d.1862
Grandson of the 7th Lord and son of Robert Sandilands mentioned above and Grizel
Kirkpatrick, daughter of Sir Thomas Kirkpatrick, 3rd Baronet
Kirkpatrick of Closeburn.
11th Lord Torphichen, Robert Sandilands, b.1807, a.1862, d.1869
Son of the 10th Lord and Margaret Douglas Stirling (b.?, d.1836), daughter of John Stirling of Kippendavie.
He reached the rank of Captain in the Scots Fusilier Guards.
12th Lord Torphichen, James Walter Sandilands, b.1846, a.1869, d.1915
Nephew of the 11th Lord, being son of that man’s younger
brother, the Reverend John Sandilands (b.1813, d.1865)
and Helen Hope. He reached the rank
of Captain in the Rifle Brigade and was a Representative Peer from 1894 to 1915.
13th Lord Torphichen, John Gordon Sandilands, b.1886, a.1915, d.1973
Son of the 12th Lord and Frances Ellen Gordon (b.?, d.1943), daughter of Lieutenant-General Charles Edward Parke Gordon.
14th Lord Torphichen, James Bruce Sandilands, b.1917, a.1973, d.1975
Son of the 13th Lord and Grace Douglas Pierce (b.?, d.1948) of Long Island, New York.
15th Lord Torphichen, James Andrew
Douglas Sandilands, b.1946, a.1975
Son of the 14th Lord and Mary Thurstan
Vaudrey.
The courtesy title for the heir is Master of Torphichen.
(Last updated: 30/09/2010)