The Guthrie of Hiltoun lineage is a pivotal branch in the Guthrie family history, serving as the “genealogical bridge” between the ancient Guthries of Guthrie and the prominent Guthries of Craigie.

🏰 Historical Snapshot: The Hiltoun Legacy

• Territory: Located in Angus (Forfarshire), specifically the lands of Hilton and Langlands, situated north of Guthrie Castle.

• The Bridge: This line is essential for researchers because it connects the main “of that Ilk” family (Barons of Guthrie) to the mercantile and military success of the Guthries of Craigie.

• Genetic Link: Modern Y-DNA testing (Guthrie Family Group GFG1A) confirms that descendants of this line share a direct paternal ancestor with the original Barons of Guthrie.

🔍 Key Historical Details

1. The Progenitor: John Guthrie (c. 1470–1490)

• Origin: The 4th son of Sir Alexander Guthrie (2nd Baron) and Margaret Lyon of Glamis.
• The “Esse” Connection: Before becoming 1st of Hiltoun, John was frequently documented as “John Guthrie of Esse” (Eassie). He likely lived there before acquiring Hilton from the main family estate.
• The Flodden Shadow: His father, Alexander, and eldest brother, David, both perished at the Battle of Flodden (1513) alongside King James IV. This tragedy shifted the family dynamics and likely solidified John’s role in the Hiltoun holdings.

2. The Branching Point: David Guthrie & Christian Wemyss

This generation is the most vital for genealogists as it produced two distinct paths:

• The Hiltoun Successor: Their eldest son, John, became the 4th of Hiltoun.
• The Craigie Ancestor: Their younger son, Charles Guthrie, moved to St. Andrews. His descendants became the Guthries of Craigie, a line that includes several Barons and modern military figures (like Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank).

3. The End of an Era: The Sale to the Lindsays

• The Transaction: In 1603, John Guthrie (4th of Hiltoun) sold the estate to Sir Walter Lindsay of Balgavies.
• Family Conflict: Following John’s death, his widow, Agnes Ochterlony, remarried John Oliphant. Historical records show a 1588 complaint raised by Agnes and her new husband against her deceased husband’s family, suggesting a period of legal and financial turmoil leading up to the sale of the lands.

🧬 The “Bridge” to the Guthries of Craigie

The expansion of the Hiltoun content is incomplete without acknowledging where the lineage went after the lands were sold.

• Charles Guthrie (b. ~1530): The younger son of the 3rd of Hiltoun.
• The Shift: He moved from the rural Angus estates to the urban centers of St. Andrews and Dundee.
• The Craigie Barony: His 3x great-grandson, James Guthrie (a merchant in Stockholm and Dundee), purchased the lands of Craigie and was created the 1st Baron Guthrie of Craigie in 1729.

READING and RESOURCES

BOOK: Burke, Bernard (1850) [Burke’s Gentry] Vol. 1: A genealogical and heraldic dictionary of the landed gentry of Great Britain & Ireland, for 1850L comprising particulars of upwards of 100.,000 individuals. Digital Repository: Internet Archive.
Guthrie of Guthrie

Book: Burke, Bernard. Burke’s Landed Gentry of Scotland. Digital Repository: Ancestry
Guthrie of Craigie
Note that this edition erroneously lists John Guthrie 1st of Hiltoun as the 4th son of Sir David Guthrie, 1st of Guthrie.

WEBSITE: The Peerage
John Guthrie, 1st of Hilton

WIKITREE: John Guthrie 1st aka of Hiltoun

WEBSITE: National Library of Scotland – Search Results “Guthrie” and “Hilton”

DOCUMENT: Records of the Guthrie Family of Guthrie, Angus. National Library of Scotland, Ref: GD188.

DOCUMENT: Precept of clare constat by Alexander Guthrie of Guthrie to John Guthrie of Hilton, of Guthrie, 15 October 1545. Catalogue Entry. National Library of Scotland, Ref: Ch.14167
Note: A ‘precept of clare constat’ is a deed by which a superior recognizes the title of the heir of a deceased vassal or tenant to enter upon the superior’s land. (Merriam-Webster)

DOCUMENT: Charter by Alexander Guthrie, son of Andrew Guthrie of Guthrie, to John Guthrie of Esse of parts of Hilton and Easttown of Guthrie, 10 May 1546. Catalogue Entry. National Library of Scotland, Ref: Ch.14168.

DOCUMENT: Instrument of sasine to John Guthrie of Esse of parts of Hilton and Easttown of Guthrie, 10 May 1546. Catalogue Entry. National Library of Scotland, Ref: Ch.14169

DOCUMENT: Tack by Gabriel Guthrie, provost and parson of Guthrie, son of Alexander Guthrie of Guthrie, of Guthrie, and the said Alexander Guthrie to Thomas Guthrie, elder, of Hilton and his wife Agnes Auchterlony of the teinds of Hilton of Guthrie., 5 June 1568. Catalogue Entry. National Library of Scotland, Ref: Ch.14171.

DOCUMENT: Instrument of renunciation by James Betoun of Melgo and Lutres Betoun his wife of an annualrent from Hilton of Guthrie., 11 April 1580. Catalogue Entry. National Library of Scotland, Ref: Ch.14177.

DOCUMENT: Instrument of sasine to Gabriel Guthrie of the prebendary of Hilton and Langland’s of Guthrie, 17 June 1580. Catalogue Entry. National Library of Scotland, Ref: Ch.14179.

DOCUMENT: Contract between David Lindesay of Balgays and David Guthrie, son of David Guthrie of Hilton, 8 February 1614. Catalogue Entry. National Library of Scotland, Ref: Ch.14288.

DOCUMENT: Inhibition at instance of David Lyndsay of Balgayis against Mr John Lyndsae, minister of Aberlemno, and Mr David Ogilvie of Pitmowis concerning Hilton of Guthrie, 3 June 1615. Catalogue Entry. National Library of Scotland, Ref: Ch.14289.

DOCUMENTS: Documents relating to land ownership, 1471-1607, undated. National Library of Scotland. Catalogue Entry, Ref: Ch.14153-14211.
Scope and Contents: The earlier documents relate mainly to Guthrie of Petmowis and the lands of Stotfaulds and others in Monikie, the later to Guthrie of Guthrie and the lands of Hilton and Langlands of Guthrie, which were acquired by Lindsay of Balgays in 1603. There are also documents concerning the Collegiate Church of Guthrie (of which Guthrie of Guthrie was patron) and Innerpeffer (sold to Robert Fletcher in 1596).

BOOK: History and Traditions of the Land of the Lindsays in Angus
p.172 “It may be noticed that Sir Walter’s landed interest
was not confined to the lands of Balgavies, or even to the
barony, in which were included the Hilton of Guthrie, Lang-
lands, and Innerdovat ; but embraced Little Markhouse, and the
Haughs, and Cunningair, and other parts of Finhaven, and also
Carlungie and Balhungie in the barony of Downie, as well as the
barony of Inverarity and the patronage of the church.* In all
these he was succeeded by his son David, who died in 1615,
from whose son and successor, Walter, the lands passed to other
hands in 1630, from which period the Lindsays entirely ceased
to have any connection with Balgavies.
It is likely that Sir Walter acquired Balgavies about 1571,
as in that year he had a charter from his father of the adjoining
property of Kempshill, in the parish of Guthrie ; but this pro-
perty is not to be confounded with the Kemp or Camp Castle,
which tradition speaks of as having topt the neighbouring hill of
Turin, which is reported to have come to the Lindsays by their
taking forcible possession of it from the owner, who is said to
have borne the name of Kemp.f This story at best is confused
and improbable, and may have arisen from the fact of Sir
Walter having been possessor of Balgavies and Kemphill at the
same time. Perhaps, however, although all record has been lost,
both Balgavies and Kemphill had been places of consideration
in old times, and had something to do with the disastrous engage-
ment which occurred here betwixt the Picts and Scots, or during
the invasion of the Danes at a later period. At least, the Gaelic
origin of the names would imply something of this sort, for Bal-
gaise means ” the town of bravery and valour,” and the name of
Kemp is associated with that of a Northern deity, remarkable for
gigantic stature, and for prowess and valour.”