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Elsfield Manor, OXFORD. 2nd October, 1922.
Stair A. Gillon, Esq., 13, Carlton Terrace, EDINBURGH.
My dear Stair ,
Here are the facts about the Minto property as far as I can ascertain them.
John Turnbull granted Minto to his nephew, Sir William Stewart of Jedworth, in 1390. His son, Walter Turnbull disputed the alienation on the ground that his father was a leper, and an Inquisition appointed in 1425 confirmed his view. Litigation, however, still went on and a compromise was arrived at in 1438 by which Minto was divided between the two families. The shares were finally settled in 1453, one-third going to the stewarts and twothirds to the Turnbulls.
There were, therefore, both Stewarts and Turnbulls at Minto during the 15th and 16th centuries.
In the 17th Century the Stewarts sank very low. Sir Walter Stewart parted with his share of Minto in 1627, and the branch died out in 1699 when Sir John Stewart died in the Darien Expedition.
The purchaser in 1627 was Thomas Turnbull of Minto, who now became possessed of the whole estate. His grandson, John Turnbull, sold it in 1673 to Scott of Harwood, from whom it passed to one Walter Riddell; then to Rutherford of Edgerston; then to the Earl of Tarras. The son of the last named, Scott of Highchester,
