John Keith, the first laird of Ravenscraig, was illegitimate. He was the son of Sir William Keith, the last laird of Inverugie (in turn the son to Gilbert who built, or started building, the castle). We have no idea who John’s mother was, but we know had a brother from the same woman (see below).
Sir William Keith of Inverugie died in 1521. His legitimate sons predeceased him, so his Inverugie lordship passed via his granddaughters to the Keith Earls Marischal.[1] The Ravenscraig lands seem to have been granted to John before he died, as he was referred to as ‘of Ravenscraig’ before the first surviving charter to him in 1543.
John is mentioned in February 1526 when he was remission for not attending the King’s army at Flodden, Werk and Solway, and for being art and part of the murder of Gavin Murray, Andrew Stratoun, William Forbes and John Smythistoun ‘and for other actions’.[2] We do not know the circumstances of this incident.
He is mentioned again in December 1529 when he witnessed a charter from the burgh of Aberdeen to Gilbert Menzies, alongside George Gordon, the Earl of Huntly, George Learmonth the Prior of Pluscarden, Lord Walter Ogilvie of ‘Monycalbok’, Hector Boece, William Hay and David Makeson, the notary.[3] This seems to suggest he was part of Huntly’s retinue at this time.
John witnessed a charter at Innes on 2 October 1541 when Alexander Innes gave lands to James Innes of Towchis. This gives a hint at John’s wider circle beyond his own kindred, as also witnessing were William Gardener of Baithill, Mr John Forbes and Mr Hugo Craig, the notary public.[4]
On 7 may 1543 his niece Margaret Keith, the Countess Marischal, confirmed John in the lands of Ravenscraig. The reversion clause on that charter said that without male heirs, the lands would pass to James Keith, his ‘brother german’ (‘full brother’, meaning they had the same parents) and his heirs, then, if James was also dead, to John Keith of Balmure, a cousin (paternal kinsman), and so on.[5] Balmure was part of the Ludquharn line of Keiths.
The lands included were Brodland-Rattray and Mylnhill, Carneglas and Carnes, Routhnochy with its mill of Cremond, Coklay, Donyhillis and Dennis, Torterstoun, Buthlaw, Ailhoushill with its mill of Scots Myln, and of course Ravenscraig with ‘rupe et fortalisicio seu castro eiusdem’- the rock and fortress or castle of the same.
John Keith of Ravenscraig was dead by 1550.[6]Â He had two children, by unknown mother:
- Andrew Keith, his successor.[7]
- Unknown Brother. This man’s son, called Andrew, eventually succeeded Andrew. [8]
[1] Balfour-Paul, Scots Peerage, vi, p.34; RSS, ii, pp.129-130, no.1008
[2] RSS, i, p.507, no.3362; Criminal Trials, i, p.*236
[3] RMS v, no.1218, p.406.
[4] RMS, iii, no.2485, p.570.
[5] RMS, iii, no.2950, p.690
[6] RMSRS iv, no.510m p.117
[7] RMSRS vi, no.25, pp.8-9
[8] RMSRS vi, no.25, pp.8-9