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The
Value of Family History
"It were very good, honourable, pleasant and profitable that every
great noble, and gentleman of heritage, and specially men of great
houses, put in remembrance and made chronicle of their house and
surname; of their beginning and progress of their predecessors'
lives, particularly of
acts and deeds that they did in their time; what succession they
had, with
whome they were allied, and what was their end.
It were great pleasure to a man to know the origin and beginning
of his house and surname, and how long it has stood; and it were
right profitable, because when a nobleman remembers the good
beginning of his house and surname, the long standing thereof, the
honourable and
virtuous acts of his predecessors, it will give occasion to every
man to conserve and maintain the house that his forebears has
constructed, and he will be the more loth to do anything that may
be the hurt or decay of the same.
And moreover, when he hears or
reads the noble acts of his predecessors put in writ; that howbeit
they be dead bodily, their fame and honour is yet recent, it will
give them occasion to exercise themselves in virtue and honour, so
it may be written of them, as of their good predecessors; that
their fame and name may live and last long, and many years after
their body be dead.
And if any of their predecessors has been vicious, and their vice
set forth in remembrance, it may give every man occasion to eschew
all things dishonourable or detestable, in the event that it may
be spoken of many years after their decease from this world, to
their slander and shame."
George Seton, 4th Earl of Winton.
THE
SETON PORTRAITS
It is
important to note that while many of the Seton portraits
that were once present in the galleries of Palace of
Seton, a good many were seized by the 2nd Viscount Kingston and
the Seton's of Garleton prior to their subsequent
ejection from holding of the Palace, and the assertion
of the 5th Earl of
Winton's claim and succession to of the Earldom of
Winton.
 Another
important collection was held by the Seton's of Barnes
family, and that collection was eventually sold at
auction, or privately, with the dissolution of the
Brookheath Estate in Hants, after the death of James
Alexander Seton, passing to Burgate House, and by both
the Seton-Browne and Seton-Coventry families.
The Seton's of Cariston also held a
small private collection of heirlooms and portraits,
which were later added to by the historian and author,
George Seton of Cariston, who had incorrectly assumed to
be head of that house and line, but who amassed a large
historical Seton collection.
Further key
portraits of the family at the Palace were disseminated
by George 5th Earl of Winton at the beginning of the
'Troubles' of 1715, and sent to Seton of Abercorn at
Touch House, and to to Lord Sommerville, and others for
their protection. Other paintings and portraits were
extracted by the Hay's of Drummelzier and Dunse, and
Yester, after the forfeiture of the 5th Earl, and
also acquired from Whittingehame.
Of the many
Seton portraits which have survived then, it is largely
to the credit of the Hay family that most of the Seton
portraits have survived.
(click to view)
THE SETON LADIES GALLERY | 
THE
SETON'S OF BARNS
THE
SETON'S OF CARISTON
THE
SETON'S OF MELDRUM
THE
SETON'S OF TOUCH
THE
SETON'S OF ABERCORN
THE
SETON'S OF PARBROATH
OTHER
SETON PORTRAITS AT DUNSE CASTLE
MISCELLANEOUS SETON PROFILES
