THE LORDSHIP & BARONY OF KILMARNOCK
THE CONVENTION OF THE BARONAGE OF SCOTLAND  The present day Scottish Parliament in Holyrood, Edinburgh, was established in 1999 by the Scotland Act, 1998 (the result of the 1997 referendum) and is a unicameral devolved legislature (a single chamber, unlike the English Parliament). When Scotland was an independent kingdom the legislature from the 13th century was the Parliament of Scotland known as The Estates of Scotland. 'The Three Estates' occupied Edinburgh's splendid Parliament Hall from 1639 until abolished by the Act of Union in March 1707. There were three estates of the realm: the nobility, the clergy (prelates), and the commons. Although some realms and some texts exchange the first two, this feudalistic assembly or 'community of the realm' broadly represented the divisions of society. The late 14th century gave rise to the General Council of Scotland, a sister institution to Parliament with limited judicial capacity. This ceased by the reign of James IV, and by the early 16th century it was replaced by the Convention of Estates of Scotland and then the Covenanter's Committee of Estates wherein bishops were excluded. Scotland’s feudal Barons have played an important part in the nation’s history, putting their seals to the Declaration of Arbroath in 1320, and for centuries forming the backbone of the Scottish Parliament. “The Estait of the Baronage … are of the Feudal Nobility of Scotland,” according to the Lord Lyon King of Arms. The Convention of the Baronage of Scotland today is an Honourable Body. Inaugurated in 1961, it represents the first Estate of Scotland. Among its objectives it takes every expedient step to preserve the Titles, Insignia, Rights, and Duties of the Baronage of Scotland. The Convention is represented at services in St. Giles' Cathedral each year - on St Andrew's Day, and the opening of the General Assembly. ON-LINE BOOK INFORMATION 1) The 61 pages (inc. images) of the 'The Robes of the Feudal Baronage of Scotland' by Thomas Innes of Learney, Lord Lyon King of Arms can be read and downloaded as a 5Mb .pdf document HERE. 2) The full text of the book 'The Scottish Parliament: Its Constitution and Procedure, 1603-1707' by Charles Sanford Terry, M.A., 1905, can be read HERE (or downloaded as a huge 42Mb .pdf document) HERE. 3) Pages from John Erskine's 'An Institute of the Law of Scotland' discussing Barons and the Estates of Scotland can be read (or downloaded as a huge 64Mb .pdf document) HERE. TRIVIA The new Scottish Parliament building was designed by Enric Miralles. On the outside wall is carved : "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight (Psalm 19.14)". Amen to that! Sir David Lindsay of the Mount was appointed Lord Lyon King of Arms in 1529. The first version of his political morality and anti-establishment play 'Ane Satyre of the Thrie Estaits' was acted at court before King James V and his Council at Linlithgow in 1540. The play (as shown right) was staged by the Scottish Theatre Company at the 1984 Edinburgh Festival. |
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 The Debating Chamber  Edinburgh's Parliament Hall  St. Giles Cathedral Chapel  Ane Satyre of the Thrie Estaits |