Walter Olifard
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Sir Walter Olifard the elder, was Justiciar (of the Lothians),The Red Book of Perthshire, by Gordon MacGregor Page 649Liber Sancte Marie de Melros: munimenta vetustiora Monasterii Cisterciensis de Melros by Melrose Abbey, Cosmo Innes. Published 1837 Page 181 (charter 19

/ref> governing the southern half of
Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...
(c.1178–c.1188) south of the rivers
Forth Forth or FORTH may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''forth'' magazine, an Internet magazine * ''Forth'' (album), by The Verve, 2008 * ''Forth'', a 2011 album by Proto-Kaw * Radio Forth, a group of independent local radio stations in Scotl ...
and Clyde (excluding
Galloway Galloway ( ; ; ) is a region in southwestern Scotland comprising the counties of Scotland, historic counties of Wigtownshire and Kirkcudbrightshire. It is administered as part of the council areas of Scotland, council area of Dumfries and Gallow ...
).


Personal life

Sir Walter Olifard was the eldest son of Sir David Olifard In a charter in the Melrose Abbey collection both father and son are witnesses and their relationship is given. He married Christian, daughter of Ferchar, Earl of Strathearn in 1173. By his wife he had two sons Sir Walter Olifard (also Justiciar of the Lothians - the third generation of the family to be so) and David Olifard. He appears to have died around 1222.The Oliphants in Scotland


Land holdings

Olifard received as a dowry with his bride, the lands and parish of
Strageath Strageath is a Roman camp near the River Earn in eastern Scotland. Strageath was one of a chain of camps that the Romans used in their march northward. Other notable camps in this chain are Ardoch, Battledykes, Stracathro, Raedykes and Norman ...
(now known as Blackford), near
Crieff Crieff (; , meaning "tree") is a Scottish market town in Perth and Kinross on the A85 road between Perth, Scotland, Perth and Crianlarich, and the A822 road, A822 between Greenloaning and Aberfeldy, Scotland, Aberfeldy. The A822 road, A822 joins ...
. Ten years later these lands were exchanged (excambed) with Olifard's brother-in-law Gilbert, 2nd Earl of Strathearn for the estate of
Aberdalgie Aberdalgie (Scottish Gaelic, Gaelic: ''Obar Dheilgidh'', 'Confluence of the Thorn-Stream') is a small village in the Scotland, Scottish council area of Perth and Kinross. It is southwest of Perth, Scotland, Perth, and lies between the B9112 roa ...
, just south of
Perth Perth () is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth . The ...
. Olifard inherited
Bothwell Bothwell () is a Protected area, conservation village in the South Lanarkshire council area of Scotland and part of the Greater Glasgow area. It lies on the north bank of the River Clyde, adjacent to Uddingston and Hamilton, Scotland, Hamilton, ...
,
Smailholm Smailholm () is a small village in the historic county of Roxburghshire in south-east Scotland. It is at and straddles the B6397 Gordon to Kelso road. The village is almost equidistant from both, standing northwest of the abbey town of Kels ...
and
Crailing Crailing is a village on the A698, in Teviotdale, 4m east of Jedburgh in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of ...
from his father. Olifard also inherited the Parish of
Cambuslang Cambuslang (, from ) is a town on the south-eastern outskirts of Greater Glasgow, Scotland. With approximately 30,000 residents, it is the 27th-largest town in Scotland by population, although, never having had a town hall, it may also be cons ...
in the Barony of Drumsergard – whose castle ruins can be discerned to the south-east of Hallside - can be traced back to the time of King Alexander II of Scotland (1214–49) when it belonged to Walter Olifard. Cambuslang joined the lands of
Bothwell Bothwell () is a Protected area, conservation village in the South Lanarkshire council area of Scotland and part of the Greater Glasgow area. It lies on the north bank of the River Clyde, adjacent to Uddingston and Hamilton, Scotland, Hamilton, ...
, which Olifard also owned by right of his father. In
England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
Olifard also inherited
Lilford Lilford is a small village in the civil parish of Lilford-cum-Wigsthorpe, in the North Northamptonshire district, in the ceremonial county of Northamptonshire, England. It is situated approximately 7 miles northeast of the market town of Thrap ...
in
Northamptonshire Northamptonshire ( ; abbreviated Northants.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. It is bordered by Leicestershire, Rutland and Lincolnshire to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshi ...
from his uncle or from his grandparents, from whom Olifard also inherited
Oakington Oakington is a small rural village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Oakington and Westwick, in the South Cambridgeshire district, in the county of Cambridgeshire, England, dating back to Roman times. It is north-west of Cambridge. ...
in
Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a List of cities in the United Kingdom, city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 Unit ...
and in the same county, he also inherited the manor of
Over Over may refer to: Places *Over, Cambridgeshire, England * Over, Cheshire, England **Over Bridge * Over, South Gloucestershire, Gloucestershire, England * Over, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, England * Over, Seevetal, Germany Music Albums * ''Ov ...
(part of which later became the manor of Gavelock) His father did not own any lands in England as they had been stripped from him (David Olifard), for his loyalty to King David 1 of Scotland after 1141.


Career

In 1174, King William of Scotland was captured by the English at
Alnwick Alnwick ( ) is a market town in Northumberland, England, of which it is the traditional county town. The population at the 2011 Census was 8,116. The town is south of Berwick-upon-Tweed and the Scottish border, inland from the North Sea ...
and sent to
Falaise Falaise may refer to: Places * Falaise, Ardennes, commune in France * Falaise, Calvados, commune in France ** The Falaise pocket, site of a battle in the Second World War * La Falaise, commune in the Yvelines ''département'', France * The Falaise ...
in
Normandy Normandy (; or ) is a geographical and cultural region in northwestern Europe, roughly coextensive with the historical Duchy of Normandy. Normandy comprises Normandy (administrative region), mainland Normandy (a part of France) and insular N ...
, where he was imprisoned. Twenty one Scottish nobles, including Walter Olifard, were sent to negotiate a treaty for their monarch's release. The terms of King William's release included him becoming a liegeman to King Henry of England and the Scots nobles present became hostages until the castles of
Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...
,
Stirling Stirling (; ; ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city in Central Belt, central Scotland, northeast of Glasgow and north-west of Edinburgh. The market town#Scotland, market town, surrounded by rich farmland, grew up connecting the roya ...
,
Roxburgh Roxburgh () is a civil parish and formerly a royal burgh, in the historic county of Roxburghshire in the Scottish Borders, Scotland. It was an important trading burgh in High Medieval to early modern Scotland. In the Middle Ages it had at lea ...
, Berwick and
Jedburgh Jedburgh ( ; ; or ) is a town and former royal burgh in the Scottish Borders and the traditional county town of the Shires of Scotland, historic county of Roxburghshire. History Jedburgh began as ''Jedworð'', the "worth" or enclosed settlem ...
were surrendered to England. The attending nobles all had to swear allegiance to King Henry before he was released, Olifard had to hand over his own son as a hostage as a guarantee for his own good behaviour. Olifard distinguished himself as
Justiciar of Lothian The Justiciar of Lothian (in Norman-Latin, ''Justiciarus Laudonie'') was an important legal office in the High Medieval Kingdom of Scotland. The Justiciars of Lothian were responsible for the administration of royal justice in the province o ...
under Alexander II. Nobody in Scotland at that time, was more trusted in public councils or in private affairs, or more worthy of trust, than Walter.Caledonia, Or an Account, Historical and Topographic, of North ..., Volume 1 By George Chalmers. Pages 515 and 51

/ref> He was one of the most frequent witnesses to the charters of Alexander II. As can be seen in the Melrose Charters. Walter Olifard granted the church of
Smailholm Smailholm () is a small village in the historic county of Roxburghshire in south-east Scotland. It is at and straddles the B6397 Gordon to Kelso road. The village is almost equidistant from both, standing northwest of the abbey town of Kels ...
, with its pertinents, to the monks of
Coldingham Coldingham is a village and parish in Berwickshire in the Scottish Borders. It lies a short distance inland from Coldingham Bay, three miles northeast of the fishing village of Eyemouth. Parish The parish lies in the east of the Lammermuir ...
. Chart.
Coldingham Coldingham is a village and parish in Berwickshire in the Scottish Borders. It lies a short distance inland from Coldingham Bay, three miles northeast of the fishing village of Eyemouth. Parish The parish lies in the east of the Lammermuir ...
, 18; and he confirmed a grant of Claribald de Olifard of Esseby to the same monks of two fishings in the Tweed. Walter Olifard appears in Northants Pipe Roll 26 HenryII (1179-1180).Pipe Roll .... 29, p85.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Olifard, Walter 1100s births 1222 deaths Oliphant family