The estate of Lauchope is the next estate with which a member of the family was associated according to public records.
A record maintained in the Register of the Great Seal,(7.12) dated 10 September 1579 witnessed the confirmation of a charter by James Muirhead of Lachop, following on a contract made at Lachop on the 13 August 1576 between him and Thomas Hamilton in Bartranschottis and Katherine Bailyie his spouse of an annualrent of 29 merks out of the 10 merks lands of Lachop. The witnesses to the original transaction, which was signed at Lachop on 26 March 1577, included James Muirhead in Schawfute and James Muirhead son of James Muirhead of Lachop.
On 14 November 1579 a confirmation of a charter was signed by James Muirhead of Lachop, following on a contract transacted between him and John Baillie, son of James Baillie of Carphin that had been dated September 1576.(7.13) In that earlier transaction James Muirhead of Lauchope had granted John Baillie an annualrent of 10 merks out of the lands of Lachop.
Lauchope (variously Lachop), was located in the east side of Bothwell Parish midway between the North and the South Calder rivers. It was situated almost directly south of the lands of Muirhead. The town of Holytown would come to be located about one and one-half miles to the southwest of Lauchope. It would have stood slightly to the west of the present-day A8 and A73 interchanges.
The house at Lauchope was described as being constructed with walls of remarkable thickness. The original structure was burned in 1570 after its owners, James Muirhead and his wife, Janet (nee Hamilton) gave refuge to Janets brother James Hamilton of Bothwellhaugh, who had murdered the Earl of Moray at Linlithgow. When, or by whom, the house was rebuilt is not known. It was purchased by William Robertson in the year 1710. In that year the book, Descriptions Of The Sheriffdoms Of Lanark And Renfrew was published by William Hamilton of Wishaw.(7.14) In that book, he noted:
| Lachupe is ane old and coniderable family, poeed by the Mureheads, chieffes of that name, who have alwayes maried coniderably. It is a good old houe, well repaired and planted, with a high and trong wall about the clos; and a convenient dwelling. The preent Laird is William Murehead of Lachupe. |
An appendix in Mr. Hamiltons book included Description Of The Sheriffdom Of Lanerik by Sir William Baillie of Laminton and William Baillie of Carphin.(7.15) In that appendix it was noted:
| The nixt remarkable houe within the paroch of Bothwell is the houe of Lachop, about a hort half mile ditant from the water. This was a very old family,the mother family and chief of the Muirheads. It now belongs to Alexander Lelie of Lachop. It is ane old tour houe; the walls are of a prodigious thicknes. Its bearing from the kirk of Bothwell is northeat, about four miles ditant; from the kirk of New Monkland about three miles outh; from the kirk of Shotts about three miles wet; from the houe of Wodhall about a mile treight eat There is a pritty litle rivulet called Lachop water emptys itelf into Calder. The litle rivulet hath its rise in the marhes above the kirk of Shotts, and for ome litle way eparates the paroch of Bothwell from that of Shotts Chappell, which was formerly a religious houe, of what order I know not; but is now converted into a buriall place from Lachops family. |
Local histories stated that a portion of the ancient structure collapsed circa 1799, but it was still inhabited at that time.
In 1846, Samuel Lewis published his book, Topographical Dictionary Of Scotland, in which he described Lauchope House as an elegant mansion recently erected and tastefully embellished.(7.16)
Lauchope House stood until 1956, when it was demolished by the current owners, the Roberton family.
7.12 Entry in the Register of the Great Seal RMS, Volume IV, no.2899.
7.13 Entry in the Register of the Great Seal RMS, Volume IV, no.2921.
7.14 Descriptions Of The Sheriffdoms Of Lanark And Renfrew, by William Hamilton of Wishaw 1710 / 2004, p 41.
7.15 ibid., p 136.
7.16 op cit., A Topographical Dictionary Of Scotland.
