The Murray Family

Sir David Murray’s family were of Flemish noble origin, their forefather Freskin (de Moravia) came to Scotland in the twelfth century. Lord Mansfield’s line of Murrays
branched off from Freskins descendants the Earls of Athoil (later Dukes of Atholl) in 1498. In 1658 Scone passed to David, the first Viscount Stormont’s nearest heir, who was Lord Balvaird. Thereafter the family
continued to play a part in the chequered events of Scottish History.

The 3rd Lord Stormont of the day held the last Coronation to be enacted in Scotland, at Scone when in 1651 on New Year’s Day Charles II was crowned King of
Scots on the Moot Hill. It is the only purely Presbyterian Coronation that has ever taken place. Although King Charles was restored in London in 1660, while he stayed
at Scone Palace, both he and Scotland were in great peril from Cromwell. The Coronation here had been splendid but tedious as the Moderator of the General Assembly delivered a sermon lasting an hour and a
half.

The 4th Viscount (also David) was shortly imprisoned for his part in a friendly but fatal duel. The 5th Viscount Stormont (also David) opposed the Treaty of Union
and in the 1715 Jacobite Rising entertained the Old Chevalier at Scone Palace, for which he was imprisoned: as was his son the 6th Viscount (also David) whose
sisters received the Young Chevalier, Bonnie Prince Charlie at Scone during the 1745 Rising.

The 6th Viscount’s brother William Murray, went to the English Bar and became the greatest Lawyer of all time, and Lord Chief Justice. He was created Earl of Mansfield (in Nottingham-shire) and later he was given a second
Earldom, The Earl of Mansfield (in Middlesex) to secure the succession through his nephew. At his death he was succeeded in one Earldom by his nephew’s second wife
Louisa Viscountess Stormont, and by her husband David, 7th Viscount Stormont in the other.

The 2nd Earl was the brilliant Ambassador and Politician.
David, the 3rd Earl of Mansfield, KT, FRS, with William Atkinson gave Scone its present form.

William David, 4th Earl of Mansfield 1806—98 played a large part in public affairs, becoming ‘Father of the House of Lords’.

His grandson William David, 5th Earl of Mansfield (Order of Mercy 1902) was succeeded by his brother Alan David, 6th Earl of Mansfield. He married Margaret Helen, daughter of Sir Malcolm MacGregor of MacGregor 21st Chief of Clan MacGregor, ‘the Children of the Mist’. Their
son, Mungo David, 7th Earl of Mansfield, was MP for Perth. He married Dorothea, daughter of The Right Hon. Sir Lancelot Carnegie, GCVO, KCMG, Ambassador to
Portugal. The present and 8th Earl of Mansfield (William David) succeeded his father in 1971. He is married to Pamela, daughter of Wilfred Neill Foster, CBE.

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