SAINT CLAIR is the principal town in the canton of that name in the arrondissement of St.Lo in Normandy. The site of the castle was to be seen when M. de Gerville wrote his valuable work on the castles in La Manche.
The Lord of St.Clair accompanied the Norman invaders of England, and is duly recorded in the Battle Abbey Roll, as also in the other lists of the conquerors by Wace, Duchesne, and Leland. The former in his description of the great battle has: -
"Dunct puist Hue de Mortemer
od li sire d'Auviler;
Cil d'Onebac e de Saint Cler
Engleiz firent mult enverser."
Hugh de Mortimer, with three other knights, the sires of Auviler, Onebac, and St.Cler, charged a body of the Angles who had fallen back on a rising ground, and overthrew many.
A Richard de Sencler is entered in Domesday, from whom the British Sinclairs are assumed to descend. [From Planche]
Almost immediately after conquering England they appear in high positions, not only in that kingdom, but also in the principality of Wales and the neighbouring kingdom of Scotland, wherein two families of the name - between whom no connection can now be traced - were settled at an early period, the one at Herdmanston, and the other at Rosslyn.
The first on record of the Herdmanston Line was Henry St.Clair, who received (about 1160) a charter of Langild from William de Moreville, Constable of Scotland, which charter was afterwards confirmed by Roland fitz Uthred (successor to William de Moreville) thereafter Earl of Galloway, to Alan de St.Clair and Matilda of Windsor, his spouse. [from Hay's Genealogie]
Robert de St.Clair attests at Windsor, 20th September 1261, an Inspeximus by the King, Henry III, of a charter of Alexander, son of the King of Scots; and again there is an inquisition before him 18th October 1264.
Robert de Sancto Claro attests a charter executed at Alicht by Alexander II to the burgh of Aberdeen 27th February (1213-49).
After him there is a hiatus until the war of the Scottish Succession, consequent upon the premature death of the Maiden of Norway (1290), when, beside William and John St.Clair of Herdmanston, William St.Clair, presently of Roslin, his heir Henry, his second son William, the warrior-priest of Dunkeld, and Gregory St.Clair [of Longformacus], assumed to be his son, come on the scene:
NOTE - These notices of Robert de St.Clair occur in Bain's "Documents", and would appear to have reference to attestation of the original Scottish charters in 1213 rather than the Inspeximus of 1261 and Inquisition of 1264.
The Sinclairs of Dryden, Spotts, Woodhouselee, etc.