Sandilands / Sandlin
A separate clan recognized by The Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs and a sept of Clan Douglas. Sandilands and Sandlin were accepted as septs of Douglas by CDSNA at its organization in 1975 based on the original list from the book Scots Kith and Kin. The current recognized tartan of Clan Sandilands is the Douglas tartan. All searches for the surname Sandlin point to its being a variation of Sandilands.
According to the March 2007 Newsletter from CDAA,
“The surname SANDILANDS is derived from the lands of Sandilands in the upper ward of Clydesdale and with the lands of Reidmyre were given to James of Sandilands by William, Lord Douglas, 18/Dec/1348 for services rendered. Sir James of Sandilands was first recorded obtaining a charter of lands in the county of Peebles from King David 11 in October 1345 as well as grants of the barony and castlewards of Wiston in Lanarkshire. Sir James of Sandilands was one of the attendants chosen by Lord William Douglas to accompany him to London in 1347 in the train of David II. They obtained a ‘safe conduct’ to England from King Edward III to bring necessaries to Sir William Douglas of Liddesdale who was a prisoner in the Tower of London at that time. It seems that Sir James of Sandilands spent a great deal of his time traveling to and from London on business on behalf of William Douglas. When James Sandilands married Eleanor of Bruce, the sister of Douglas, James was granted the barony of Bengowre (Bangour) co. Edinburgh as a marriage settlement. In 1350, this was confirmed by Duncan, Earl of Fife who had given it to Douglas formerly. In consequence of the marriage of Sandilands to Eleanor Douglas, King David ratified that the Douglas arms be quartered by the Lords of Calder and it has indeed been pointed out that on the failure of the older legitimate line, the Sandilands became in law heirs-general of the house of Douglas.” See also http://www.douglashistory.co.uk/history/Septs/sandilands.htm where the following is given: “During the Wars of Scottish Independence Sir James de Sandilands distinguished himself in the wars against the English. For his services he was rewarded with a royal charter to his lands by King David II of Scotland. He married Eleanor, the only daughter of Sir Archibald Douglas, Regent of Scotland. James Sandilands received from his brother in law, William IV, Lord of Douglas the lands of Calder in Lothian.” Also, “The current chief of Clan Sandilands is The Rt. Hon. the Lord Torphichen.”
Fraser, in The Douglas Book (v.3, p 1109-1111), presents the text of the charters granted to James Sandilands by William, Lord Douglas.
316. Charter by William of Douglas, lord of that ilk, by which he grants to James of Sandilandis, his well beloved esquire, for homage and service, all his lands of Sandilandys and the Redmire, with the pertinents, within his lordship of Douglasdale, with the east part of the land of Pollynfeygh as the water of Douglas runs, ascending as far as the two trees of Byrkis on the west side of the Halleford opposite the Haynyngschaw, which is within the barony of Lesmahagow, and so upward extending to the Wythyn Buskis on the east side of Langtaille, and so up as far as the messuage, sometime of Adam Peterson, and so upward extending to the wood of Pollynfeyghschaw, and so ascending near the side of the wood as far as the highway, and so upward as the stream flows to the end of Thomas Rouche's croft as far as the Lonyng dyke : To be held of the granter and his heirs to the said James and his heirs, in fee and heritage ; with a provision that all grain growing upon the said lands which came to the granter's mill, should pay no more than his dominical lands were anciently wont to pay, and that if the grain of the foresaid lands were brought to sale at market or elsewhere within the barony or outside, multure should not be exacted therefor by the farmers of the mills ; the said James and his heirs to be free from all payment of contribution, though incurred generally throughout the country, unless the granter's dominical land, being in his own hands, or the hands of his successors, be specially obliged to the payment of the foresaid contributions : Rendering yearly at the feast of the Nativity in the parish church of Douglas a pair of white spurs, if asked, in name of blench farm. Sealed and dated at the castle of Edinburgh, on the Thursday before the feast of the Nativity of our Lord [18th December], 1348. Witnesses, Sir William of Douglas, lord of Lydellisdale, Sir Andrew of Douglas, Sir John of Douglas, knights. Sir John of Dalgemok, then prior of Lesmahagow, Master Walter of ]Moffet, then archdeacon of Lothian, Sir Richard Small, rector of the church of Ratheu, Sir Adam, rector of the church of Kirkmeyghell, John Makmoryn, then the granter's bailie of Douglasdale. Seal wanting. [Original Charter in Torphichen Charter-chest]
317. Chapter by William Lord of Douglas, by which he grants to his beloved and faithful James of Sandilandis for homage and service his whole town of Pollynfeygh, from the bounds and marches which he had caused to be made on the east side between the said town and the Sandilandis, to wit, from the two trees of Byrkis at the west side of the Halford, ascending as far as the Saulghbuskis, near the east side of Langtaylle [etc. as in No. 3 1 6], and by the ancient raeiths and marches on the west side of the said town of PoUynfeygh : To be held to the said James, and his assignees at the end of the life of the said James, of the granter and his heirs, with all the rights, liberties, etc., as freely as James Logan, or Dame Mary of Striuelyn, or their predecessors held or possessed the same ; Rendering three suits of court of the granter's court of Douglasdale at the three head courts when they happened. With clause of warrandice. Witnesses, Sir William of Douglas, lord of Lydellisdale, Sir Andrew of Douglas, Sir John of Douglas, knights. Sir John of Dalgernok, then prior of Lesmahagow, Walter of Moffet, archdeacon of Lothian, Sir Richard Small, rector of tlie church of Rathew, Sir Adam, rector of the church of Kirmeghell, John Makmoriue, then bailie of Douglasdale. The granter's seal is still appended, [c. 1348.] [Original Charter in Torphichen Charter-chest.]
318. Charter by Duncan Earl of Fyf, narrating at length, ratifying and confirming a charter by William of Douglas, lord of that ilk, granting to James of Sandylandys and Dame Elianor de Bruys, sister of the said William of Douglas, his whole barony of Westir Caldore with the pertinents, in free-marriage ; to be held to them, and the longer liver of them for life, and the heirs male or female to be lawfully procreated between them, of the granter and his heirs, in fee and heritage, as freely as he or his predecessors held the same of Duncan Earl of Fife, in forests, advocation of churches, with wards, reliefs, marriages, meadows, pastures, etc., homages and services of free tenants, bonds and bondages, natives and their sequels, fees, forfeitures, mills, etc. : Rendering yearly in name of blench farm a pair of gilt spurs, or two shillings of silver yearly at the feast of Pentecost, if asked only. Providing that if the said James and Dame Elianor died without heirs male or female of their bodies, the barony .should revert to the lord of Douglas and his heirs. With clause of warrandice. Witnesses to the charter by Douglas, Sir Thomas, abbot of the Holy Rood of Edinbjurgh, Thomas Stewart, Earl of Angus, Sir David of Lyndesay, lord of Crauford, Sir William of Douglas, lord of Lydellisdale, Sir Andrew of Douglas, Sir John of Douglas, knights. and Sir Richard Small, rector of the church of Ratheu. To the Confirmation [dated about 1350] the seal of the Earl of Fife is appended. Witnesses, Sir William of Douglas, lord of Lydellisdale, Sir Robert of Irskyn, then chamberhiin of Scotland, Sir John of Prestoun, knights. Sir Brice, the Earl's chaplain, and William of Camys. [Original Charter in Torphichen Charter-chest.]
During the Wars of Scottish Independence Sir James de Sandilands distinguished himself in the wars against the English. For his services he was rewarded with a royal charter to his lands by King David II of Scotland. He married Eleanor, the only daughter of Sir Archibald Douglas, Regent of Scotland. James Sandilands received from his brother in law, William IV, Lord of Douglas the lands of Calder in Lothian.
James Sandiland’s son also called James was one of the hostages sent to England for King James I of Scotland. James Sandilands was only returned to Scotland two years before his death. He was the Sandilands presumptive heir to the Douglas estates and should have inherited them on the death of the James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas. However the estates went instead to Archibald Douglas, 3rd Earl of Douglas, who was Sir James Douglas’s bastard son.
James Sandilands was succeeded by his own son John. The Sandilands found themselves in opposition to their Douglas relatives as they were unshakeable in their support to King James II of Scotland. Chief John Sandilands and his uncle James were both assassinated by Patrick Thornton on the orders of the Douglas faction. James Sandilands inherrited the estates and married Margaret Kinlock of Cruvie. One of their sons, James Sandilands of Cruvie established the line who would later become Lords of Abercrombie.
Sources:
Fraser, William. The Douglas Book: In Four Volumes. Burlington, Ont: TannerRitchie Pub. in collaboration with the Library and Information Services of the University of St. Andrews, 2005. Internet resource.
Sandilands. http://www.scotweb.co.uk/info/sandilands/
The Clan Douglas Society of Australia Newsletter. (73, March 2007).
The Scots Peerage, ed. Sir James Balfour Paul, Lord Lyon King of Arms, (8 p. 378-385)
The Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs. http://www.clanchiefs.org/p/members.html