Margaret, Lady Yester

Title: 
Lady Yester
Other names: 
Margaret Ker(r), Margaret Hay
Dates: 
born c1572, died 15 March 1647 aged 75

Her parents were Mark Ker(r), 1st Earl of Lothian (d. 1609) and Margaret Maxwell (daughter of John Maxwell, 6th Lord Herries of Terregles (d. 1631)).

She had had four brothers: Robert, second earl of Lothian, Sir William Ker of Blackhope, Sir Mark Ker, and Hon. Henry Ker, and seven sisters: Janet, married, first to Robert, master of Boyd, and secondly to David, tenth earl of Crawford; Janet, married to William, eighth earl of Glencairn; Isabell, married to William, first earl of Queensberry; Lilias, married to John, lord Borthwick; Mary, married to Sir James Richardson of Smeaton; and Elizabeth, married to Sir Alexander Hamilton of Innerwick.

Her first marrige was to James Hay, 7th Lord Hay of Yester (c.1564 - 1608). They had two sons, John who became 8th Lord Hay of Yester and Sir William for whom she purchased the Barony of Linplam. After many years she remarried, to Sir Andrew Ker, Master of Jedburgh. She died on 15 March 1647 at the age of 75.

Among her many donations and good works she contributed 1000 merks towards building the Tron Kirk in Edinburgh and the funds to build Lady Yester's Kirk (Church of Scotland)in Infirmary Street, at the corner of High School Wynd, completed in 1647.

The original building was damaged by Oliver Cromwell's troops during their invasion of Scotland. It was replaced by the current structure (built 1803-5), slightly to the west and designed by William Sibbald, now a Category B listed building.

In 1938 the congregation merged with Greyfriars Kirk and there is now the Lady Yester Chapel within Greyfriars Kirk and the original commemorative tablet which marked her tomb in the walls of the first and replacement church has been moved here too.

Sources
Lady Yester's Kirk
Wikipedia page

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Yester's_Kirk

Gazetteer of Scotland
Text and photograph of 19th century rebuilt Lady Yester Kirk, Infirmary Street
Edinburgh, 9 Infirmary Street, University of Edinburgh, Department of Works
Scotlands Places website
9 and 11 Infirmary Street
Historic Scotland Listed Building Report
David Black, Minister of Lady Yester's Church Edinburgh
Biographical Sketches pages 192 and 193 Kay's Originals Vol 2
Lady Yester Church
Edin Photo website http://edinphoto.org.uk Photo and text relating to Lady Yester Church
Memorials of Edinburgh in the Olden Time
Appendix page 429 and 430 Section titled Lady Yester's Church
Kerr, Mark (d.1609) (DNB00)
Wikisource website
Lord Herries of Terregles
Wikipedia Page