Nathaniel Spens (17 Apr 1728 -21 Jun 1815) was a Scottish medical doctor who qualified as Fellow of the Incorporation of Surgeons and then became increasingly interested in the practice of physic. He qualified as a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh and went on to become President of that College. Nathaniel Spens x

Career

Nathaniel Spens was a member of the Spens family who owned the estate of Lathallan in Fife. He was the son of Thomas Spens, 15th Laird of Lathallan and his wife Janet (née Douglas). He was admitted into the Incorporation of Surgeons of Edinburgh on 24 July 1751.Gairdner, J. List of Fellows of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh from the year 1581 to 1873. Edinburgh 1874. https://archive.org/stream/b21465812/b21465812_djvu.txt He obtained the degree of MD from the

University of St Andrews The University of St Andrews (, ; abbreviated as St And in post-nominals) is a public university in St Andrews, Scotland. It is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, oldest of the four ancient universities of Scotland and, f ...

. After practising as a surgeon in Edinburgh, he increasingly became more interested in the practice of physic, becoming a Licentiate of the

Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (RCPE) is a medical royal college in Scotland. It is one of three organisations that set the specialty training standards for physicians in the United Kingdom. It was established by royal charter i ...

in 1773 and fellow of that college the following year. He went on to become treasurer of the college and its

president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

in 1794. In 1773 he was elected a member of the

Aesculapian Club The Aesculapian Club of Edinburgh is one of the oldest medical dining clubs in the world. It was founded in April 1773 by Dr. Andrew Duncan. Membership of the club is limited to 11 Fellows of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh and ...

. On 12 April 1782 Spens was one of the founding members of the

Harveian Society of Edinburgh The Harveian Society of Edinburgh was founded in April 1782 by Andrew Duncan (physician, born 1744), Andrew Duncan. The Society holds an annual Festival in honour of the life and works of William Harvey, the physician who first correctly des ...

and served as President in 1789. He purchased in 1792, the estate of Craigsanquhar, in Fife which had once been part of the family estate of Lathallan, but had been sold in 1524.

Archer

Spens was a prominent member of the

Royal Company of Archers The Royal Company of Archers, The King's Bodyguard for Scotland, is a ceremonial unit that serves as the Sovereign's bodyguard in Scotland—a role it has performed since 1822 during the reign of King George IV when the company provided a pers ...

. The Royal Company of Archers began as a private club in 1676 obtaining its Royal Charter from Queen Anne in 1704. Amongst the prizes for which the Archers compete to this day is the Pagodas Medal, presented to the company by James Spens, son of Nathaniel, in memory of his father. His yew bow, which was presented to the Royal Company by his son Dr Thomas Spens, is still on display in Archers’ Hall. His portrait by

Sir Henry Raeburn Sir Henry Raeburn (; 4 March 1756 – 8 July 1823) was a Scottish portrait painter. He served as Portrait Painter to King George IV in Scotland. Biography Raeburn was born the son of a manufacturer in Stockbridge, on the Water of Leith: a for ...

(1756 - 1823) in the uniform of the Royal Company hangs in Archers' Hall in Edinburgh.

Freemasonry

He was a Scottish Freemason. He was Initiated in Lodge Canongate Kilwinning, No. 2, on 5 June 1751. He served as Master of that Lodge for 1778. He was Substitute Grand Master 1776—82 and Depute Grand Master 1782—86 of the

Grand Lodge of Scotland The Grand Lodge of Antient Free and Accepted Masons of Scotland is the governing body of Freemasonry in Scotland. It was founded in 1736. About one third of Scotland's lodges were represented at the foundation meeting of the Grand Lodge. Histo ...

Death and Family

He died on 21 Jun 1815 and is buried in Leuchars Old Cemetery in Fife. His son, Dr Thomas Spens, was, like his father, a member of the Royal Company of Archers and Treasurer and president of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. Dr Thomas Spens is credited with the first description of a case of heart block in Britain.

References (Lima)

External links

Lodge Canongate Kilwinning, No. 2 (Edinburgh)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Spens, Nathaniel 1728 births 1815 deaths Scottish surgeons Scottish Freemasons 18th-century Scottish medical doctors Alumni of the University of St Andrews Fellows of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh Fellows of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh Presidents of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh Members of the Royal Company of Archers People from Fife Members of the Harveian Society of Edinburgh Office bearers of the Harveian Society of Edinburgh