Alexander Morison, Lord Prestongrange
Alexander Morison (or Morrison), Lord Prestongrange (1579–1631) was a 17th-century Scottish judge, Senator of the College of Justice and Lord President of the Court of Session.
Life
![](../I/m/Prestongrange_House_(geograph_1817805).jpg)
He was the son of John Morison of Saughtonhall (1558–1615), a burgess and treasurer of the city of Edinburgh, and his wife, Katherine Preston, daughter of John Preston, Lord President of the Court of Session.[1] He was born in 1579 probably in Saughton Hall, just west of Edinburgh.
John Preston (his grandfather) had built Prestongrange, a fine mansion west of Prestonpans, and this house came to belong to Alexander through inheritance around 1600.[2]
He trained as a lawyer at Edinburgh University under Henry Charteris, graduating MA in 1598, and passed the Scottish bar as an advocate in 1604.[3][4]
In February 1626 he was elected a Senator of the College of Justice and took the title Lord Prestongrange. In 1627 he was elected rector of Edinburgh University in place of Andrew Ramsay.[5]
He died at home in Preston Grange in East Lothian on 20 September 1631.[6]
Family
In 1610 he married Eleanor Maule daughter of William Maule of Glaster. They had four daughters and one son, Alexander, who inherited the Preston Grange estate.[7][8]
One daughter Bethia married Sir Robert Spottiswoode.[9]
His sister Catherine, married William Scott, Lord Clerkington.
Trivia
Saughton Hall stood in 98 acres of ground and was demolished by Edinburgh Council in 1952 to make way for housing.[10]
References
- http://redbookofscotland.co.uk/morison-of-prestongrange
- The Buildings of Scotland: Lothian:Prestongrange, Colin McWilliam
- https://www.scottish-places.info/people/famousfirst1593.html
- http://ourhistory.is.ed.ac.uk/index.php/Sir_Alexander_Morison_(1579-1631)
- An Historical Account of the Senators of the College of Justice
- http://ourhistory.is.ed.ac.uk/index.php/Sir_Alexander_Morison_(1579-1631)
- https://www.clanmacfarlanegenealogy.info/genealogy/TNGWebsite/getperson.php?personID=I22432&tree=CC
- https://fabpedigree.com/s094/f396506.htm
- https://www.geni.com/people/Alexander-Morrison-of-Prestongrange/6000000007114081126
- http://www.edinphoto.org.uk/1_edin/1_edinburgh_history_-_recollections_saughton.htm