J. W. Buchan and Rev. H. Paton. Published 1925-7.
The earliest reference to these lands, which adjoin Mossfennan on the north, is on 8th October, 1451, when they were conveyed by William, Earl of Douglas, to Robert of Glenquhym.
The property consists of two farms - Wrae and Coomlees - and on the former are the ruins of an old tower. During the sixteenth and first half of the seventeenth century the lands were owned by a branch of the Tweedie family, but when it was acquired has not been ascertained.
TWEEDIE OF WRAE
James Tweedie of Wrae is referred to in 1529 in connection with the Fleming-Tweedie feud. In 1563 William Tweedie of Wrae had the arbitration with Alexander Gillies already referred to anent their lands of Whitslade and Glenkirk. He also held the Kirklands of Glenholm, called Kirkhall. In 1593 he and his three sons, William, Adam, and James, obtained protection of lawburrows against Geddes of Rachan. He married Marjory de Glenquhyme (Glenholm), and in 1600 they resigned the lands in favour of their eldest son, William, and Mary Baillie, his spouse, In 1602 William Tweedie signed at Peebles the general bond against the Border raiders, and seems to have died about 1610. His eldest son, William Tweedie of Wrae, succeeded, and in 1618 was served heir to his father in the Kirklands of Glenholm and half of Burnetland. In 1619 there was a complaint to the Privy Council against him and his son, William, who is described as in Netherurd, that for the last six years they had
'borne and worne hagbuttis and pistolettis upon thair personis . . . and usis the same alsweill for thair privat revenge as for the slaughter of wyld foull and venniesoun, quhairof they have made a grit distructioun,'
and for this they were fined £20. This son, William Tweedie, younger of Wrae, was present in 1627 at the weaponshaw in Peebles, 'horsit, with ane horseman, baith with lance and sword.' He and his spouse, Agnes Tweedie, in 1637 had a Crown charter of Wrae, etc., on his father and mother's resignation; and in 1641 he was served heir to his deceased father in the half of Burnetland. In 1643 and again in 1649 there are references to William Tweedie of Wrae in connection with the proceedings of the 'Committees of Warr in the Shyres.' He was one of the Commissioners, and played his part in the Scottish army under Leslie, who was sent to the assistance of the English Parliament. He is mentioned in 1656 as 'elder of Wrae,' when he appears as a witness at Glenholm.
MURRAY OF STANH0PE AND WRAE
HUNTER OF POLMOOD AND WRAE
TWEEDIE OF RACHAN AND WRAE
In 1679 Sir William Murray of Stanhope received a Crown charter of his lands, and Wrae is enumerated among them, one witness to the sasine which followed being Thomas Geddes in Wrae. After that - but the date has not been ascertained - Wrae became the property of the Hunters of Polmood until 1847, when it was sold to Thomas Tweedie by the Hon. Walter Hunter of Polmood (Lord Forbes), who had been served heir to his brother James in 1835. It has since remained part of Rachan.
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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