The family of Burnett of Leys, with collateral - Electric Scotland

CHAPTER V.
BURNETTS OF KEMNAY.
I.
THOMAS, second son of James Burnett of Craigmyle, is designed
writer in Edinburgh. He married, c. November, 1655, Margaret, only
child of John Pearson, merchant, Edinburgh, by whom he had two sons,
Thomas and Andrew, and a daughter, Rachel (born 1679). In 1688, the
year in which he died, he purchased the estate of Kemnay, on Donside,
from Sir George Nicolson, a Lord of Session, under the title of Lord
Kemnay ;
and on 2Oth July, 1688, had a Crown charter to Thomas
Burnett, writer in Edinburgh, and Thomas, his eldest son, and the heirs
male of his body, whom failing, Andrew, his second son, and heirs male
whom failing, the heirs whatsoever of the said Thomas
of his body ;
Burnett of the barony of Kemnay, on the resignation of Sir George
Nicolson of Kemnay and his eldest son. The mansion-house of Kemnay,
where he took up his residence, was built by Sir Thomas Crombie in the
middle of the i/th century, in place (on a higher area to the south-east of
to the Auchen leeks
it) of an older residence of the time when it belonged
and Douglases of Glenbervie. In its original form it somewhat resembled
Muchalls in plan.
Its distinguishing features were an uncommonly wide
spiral staircase, a dining-room with a curious embossed roof, which has
been modernized, and though Kemnay House has been deprived of
much of its original character by exterior changes and additions made at
different times, a few antique rooms remain, as well as the remarkable
staircase alluded to. In the following year Thomas Burnett died, and
was buried in the church of Kemnay, on the I9th February, 1689. His
wife, who had predeceased him by a few months, was also buried at