J. W. Buchan and Rev. H. Paton. Published 1925-7.
Before dealing with these lands, it is necessary to explain that what is now known as Quarter is only a part of the lands in Glenholm which were originally known by that name. The old property of Quarter was a £5 land (156 acres), and the first mention of it is in 1525, (24th November), when Malcolm, Lord Fleming, redeemed it, along with Glencotho, from William Hunter of Polmood. Two years later (20th November, 1527) he was infeft therein on a charter and precept from the superior, William Porteous of Glenkirk, and the same year, as we have seen, he acquired from Porteous the superiority itself.
The lands of Quarter as they are now known, lie on the left side of Holms Water between Cardon and Whitslade. They were rated at 30s. of old extent (78 acres), and described as the half lands of Quarter, Chapelgill, and Cardon. The superiority rights have already been referred to. The actual possessors of the property during the sixteenth and the greater part of the seventeenth century were the Crichtons.
CRICHTON OF QUARTER
Robert Crichton of Quarter is mentioned in 1534. Another Robert, probably his son, is referred to in 1555 in a deed of discharge, by Janet Crichton (spouse of William Brown in Logan), no doubt a relative, of all debts contracted between them. In 1560-1 (18th February) John Lord Fleming, the superior, gave sasine in the lands to Robert Crichton as heir to his grandfather Robert. After the death in 1572 of Lord Fleming, whose estates were forfeited because of his devotion to Queen Mary, King James VI. granted a charter on 26th November 1573, to Robert Crichton. This Robert died in 1578, and on 9th November, 1579, his son John had sasine in an annual rent of £5 from Baitlaw in the barony of Carnwath. John Crichton of Quarter was concerned in the murder of Patrick Veitch by the Tweedies in 1590. He died on 10th May, 1595, leaving eight young children - John, Thomas, James, Margaret, Jane, Katherine and Agnes - his brother Andrew acting for them. On 24th January, 1622, there is record of a bond for 300 Merks by Katherine Tweedie, widow of John Crichton of Quarter, and her son James, to Charles Tweedie brother of John Tweedie in Nether Oliver, to which one of the witnesses was Robert Crichton of Quarter.
Robert Crichton of Quarter was before the Presbytery in 1627 for 'making a tulzie in the kirk of Glenholm after sermon, the congregation not being dismissed; striking a gentleman with a rung which he kept under his cloak, and drawing his sword.' For this he was deprived of his office as elder, and ordered to appear before the Privy Council. It may have been his son, John Crichton, cornet to the horse troop, who was killed in March, 1645. There appear to have been Crichtons in Quarter till 1665.
DICKSON OF QUARTER
TWEEDIE OF QUARTER
The property then passed to the Dicksons of Whitslade, and remained with them till 1740, when it was sold by John Dickson to Thomas Tweedie, second son of Thomas Tweedie of Oliver. 'This may be called,' says Dr. Chambers, 'the beginning of a new branch of the Tweedies, who from father to son went on increasing the family inheritance.' Thomas Tweedie, who married in 1728 Mary, daughter of Alexander Stevenson, tenant of Dreva and later proprietor of Venlaw, died in 1766, and was succeeded by his third but eldest surviving son Alexander.
Alexander Tweedie was a Writer to the Signet, a Justice of the Peace for Peeblesshire, and a burgess of Peebles. In 1777 he acquired the adjoining lands of Whitslade from William Dickson, and died in 1803, survived by his wife Anne, eldest daughter of Michael Carmichael of East End, Lanark, and a family. Thomas Stevenson Tweedie, the eldest son, succeeded, and in his time (1844) Quarter became part of Rachan.
The present dwelling-house, which was restored about attractive building, carrying a small turret, which was a common feature in Scottish architecture in the eighteenth century.
This information is reproduced from A History of Peeblesshire by J. W. Buchan and Rev. H. Paton, published in three volumes between 1925-7 by Jackson, Wylie and Co. of Glasgow. The original book includes many refences to the sources of the information, pedigrees and plates.
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