TORTHORALD: From Torthorwald in Dumfriesshire. David de Torthorald was witness in an Annandale charter, c. 1215-45 (Bain, I, 1680). Thomas de Torthorald and James, his brother, witnessed a charter by the earl of Carrick of land in Newby after 1271 (Annandale, I, p. 8), and in 1278 Sir David de Torthorald was accused with others of having amerced freemen in their lord's courts without their peers and contrary to statute (Bain, II, p. 39). Between 1280-90 Sir David witnessed the grant by Thomas, son of Andrew de Kyrconeuel, to Holmcoltran Abbey of half his land (Holm Cuitram, p. 48), and in 1291 he swore fealty to England at Berwick (Bain, II, p. 125). The main line of the house of Torthorald terminated on the death in 1296 of Sir David, whose only daughter married Humphrey de Kirkpatrick. Thomas de Torthorald and James de Torthorald of Dumfriesshire rendered homage in 1296, and in 1298 the bay horse of the latter at the battle of Falkirk was valued at £10 (Bain, II, p. 182,203, 259). The family sided with the English in the War for Independence. Sir Thomas de Torthorald took part in a foray in Nithsdale, 1303—4, and there is evidence that Sir Thomas was at Lochmaben Castle in 1313 as one of the English garrison, and later took part in raids on Pennersax, etc. Sir James de Torthorald was killed fighting for the English at Bannockburn, and his son Sir John 'after an unavailing visit in 1328, to claim his lands in Scotland, was compensated two years later for the loss of them by Edward III' (Bain, III).