| Walter, who is styled David's son and heir in a Melrose charter, witnesses a grant by William the Lion to Dunfermline Abbey along with his father. In 1174 he was one of the hostages given to Henry II for the observance of the treaty of Falaise. Shortly afterwards he was involved in a dispute with the monks of Durham, who claimed the church of Smailholm as a chapel of their church of Erchildun (now Earlston). The matter was settled by agreement in presence of John, Abbot of Kelso, and Laurence, Abbot of Melrose. Walter accordingly granted to the monks an annualrent out of the church. This took place between annualrent out of the church. This took place between 1175 and 1178, the period of Laurence's tenure of the abbacy of Melrose. Walter was Justiciar (of Lothian) about 1180, probably for some years, and is a frequent witness to charters of William the Lion. In his later years his appearances at Court become less frequent. he succeeded to the lands of Lilford, evidently on the failure of the senior branch; in 1216 he was temporarily deprived of them, as appears by a grant thereof to Ralph de Trubleville. Walter was still alive in 1223, his son being in a writ of that year styled Walter Olifard, junior; he must have died soon thereafter. According to Lord Strathallan, he married Christian, daughter of Ferteth, Earl of Strathear, and recieved with her the lands of Strageath, which his son restored to or excambed with her brother, Earl Gilbert. Walter left two sons, said Walter, and David. |
