A Jacobite Gazetteer - Scotland

Scone Palace is located several kilometres north of Perth, and about forty kilometres north of Edinburgh. Since 1600 it has been the seat of the Murray family. The head of the family today is the 8th Earl of Dunbar (called "Earl of Mansfield").

In the Dining Room is a large portrait of Queen Mary Beatrice, wife of King James II and VII.

The Long Gallery contains numerous portraits on the left wall. Among the first of these is one of James Murray, second son of David Murray, 5th Viscount Stormont. He fought for King James III and VIII in 1715 and then retired to France. He was one of the ambassadors to negotiate the king's marriage to Clementina Sobieska in 1718. In 1721 he was raised to the Peerage of Scotland as Earl of Dunbar, Viscount of Drumcairn, and Lord of Hadykes. In 1725 he was made a Knight of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle. In 1727 he was named Governor to the Prince of Wales, and later that year Secretary of State, an office he kept for twnety years. In 1747 he retired to Avignon after the Prince Regent held him responsible for the decision of the Duke of York to receive holy orders. The painting shows Lord Dunbar in middle age. The label suggests that the artist was John Vanderbank.¹

James Murray, 1st Earl of Dunbar

Towards the end of the Long Gallery are three oval portraits high up on the wall. The first of these is of Princess Louise, youngest daughter of King James II and VII.

Princess Louise

There is an oval portrait of King James II and VII.

King James II and VII

Finally there is an oval portrait of King James III and VIII.

King James III and VIII

Lord Dunbar also owns two portraits which are currently on loan to the Scottish National Portrait Gallery: a portrait of the 1st Earl of Dunbar by Francesco Trevisani, and a portrait of his sister Marjory, wife of the Duke of Inverness (it was this lady who was the innocent cause of the quarrel between King James III and VIII and his wife Queen Maria Clementina in 1727).