The Murray Family Tree

The first Lord Scone was Sir David Murray. He was of Flemish noble origin, and was Cup-bearer, Master of the Horse and Captain of the Guard to King James VI of Scotland.

The 3rd Lord Stormont held the last coronation in Scotland. This took place at Scone in 1651 when King Charles II was crowned King of Scots upon the Moot Hill.

The Earls following the 4th and 5th Earls all suffered imprisonment, mainly in consequence of their support of the Jacobite cause.

Born at Scone in 1705, William Murray, son of the 5th Viscount Stormont, rose to become a man of enormous influence, respected as an eminent lawyer. He was created 1st Earl of Mansfield in 1776.

The 2nd Earl of Mansfield was a brilliant ambassador and politician. He was Britain’s Envoy in Dresden in 1756, then Envoy-Extraordinary to the Imperial Court of Vienna, where he was much in the confidence of the Empress Maria Theresa. He was Ambassador to France from 1772 until 1778, during which time he became a confidante of King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette. He later became Lord Justice General of Scotland and Lord President of the Council in the British Cabinet.

It was David Murray, 3rd Earl of Mansfield, who, at the beginning of the 19th century, instructed much of the restoration work at Scone Palace, resulting in the splendid and enlarged interior we see today. The architect was William Atkinson. The restrained Gothic style which he used was entirely in keeping with the monastic history of Scone.

William David Murray, 4th Earl of Mansfield (1806-1898) played an active part in public affairs, becoming Father of the House of Lords. His grandson, also William David Murray, succeeded as 5th Earl of Mansfield. The 6th Earl was the brother of the 5th Earl. His son, Alan David Murray, became the 6th Earl. His son, Mungo David Murray, 7th Earl of Mansfield, was MP for Perth.

The Present Family

The present and 8th Earl of Mansfield, William David Murray, succeeded his father in 1971. He is married to Pamela, daughter of Wilfred Neill Foster CBE. Lord Mansfield is also 13th Viscount Stormont and Lord Scone, 11th Lord Balvaird and Hereditary Keeper of Bruce’s Castle of Lochmaben. He read law at Oxford University and developed an extensive common law practice as an English barrister. He entered politics and business, and was appointed a member of the first British delegation to the European Parliament.

He became a director of a number of public companies. In his spare time he devoted time to several charities, especially those concerned with young people. He was the first President of the Scottish Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders.

In 1979, on the formation of Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative administration, he became Minister of State for Scotland. In 1983, he was appointed Minister of State for Northern Ireland.
Lord Mansfield quit active politics in 1985 and took up an appointment by the Queen to become First Crown Estate Commissioner, combining the running of the hereditary lands of the Queen with an active interest in his family estates. He retired from this post in 1996.

Lord Mansfield has three children. His eldest son, Alexander, by courtesy Viscount Stormont, is the heir.

 View a diagram of the Family Tree here (pdf)