,
Pencaitland,
East Lothian Anna Hay married
George Seton, 3rd Earl of Winton on 26 April 1609. He had inherited after his elder brother
Robert Seton, 2nd Earl of Winton resigned the title and estates to him in 1606, due to incapacity. He rebuilt
Winton Castle around 1620, and had a townhouse in Edinburgh's
Canongate. A fireplace at Winton in the hall or drawing room includes their carved initials "GS-AH" as a monogram.
Women in early modern Scotland did not change their surname on marriage. She continued to sign letters as "Anna Hay". In 1612 Anne of Denmark sent instructions to the chamberlain of her
Dunfermline estates,
Sir Henry Wardlaw of
Pitreavie for the baptism of
Anne Home, a daughter of
Mary (Dudley) Sutton, Countess of Home and the
Earl of Home. The queen as sponsor or godmother wanted presents of money distributed at the baptism, and Anna Hay, Lady Winton was to be her representative.
Lord Walden visited Seton Palace to see Anna Hay and her children in 1613. Her mother-in-law, Margaret Montgomerie, dowager Countess of Winton, lived at Seton. In September 1617, she wrote from
Seton Palace to
Anne Livingstone, Countess of Eglinton, a former companion in the household of Anne of Denmark who had married her husband's brother. Lady Eglinton's son Henry had sent her son George a trumpet, and George would get a drum for Henry. In October 1618, she went north "over the water" to Erroll, to
Slains Castle, with her children George and Margaret. She met the new "Lady Hay", the bride of her brother
William Hay. Anna Hay wrote that her new sister-in-law, Anne Lyon was "wise, discreet, and a sweet creature". Anne Lyon was a daughter of the
Earl of Kinghorne and
Anne Murray, reputed to have been the mistress of
King James. The family had an interest in coal mining. On 5 November 1620, the Earl and Anna Hay with other neighbouring landowners had dinner with Janet Lawson, Lady Fawside, at
Fa'side Castle and illegally combined to set and raise the price of coal. The
Privy Council of Scotland found their actions unlawful and they were ordered to pay a fine of £2,000 or be imprisoned in
Edinburgh Castle. In defence the landowners claimed their coal was unprofitable. The Earl of Winton's account book (now lost) includes payments to
Adam de Colone for portraits of the family, including Anne Lyon, Lady Hay. The inscription on the portrait of Anna Hay attributed to Adam de Colone indicates she was 33 in 1625. She wears a portrait miniature case and an enormous diamond
aigrette pinned to her gown. A portrait at
Traquair House shows a woman in almost identical costume and pose, with two children, said to be
Jean Ker, Countess of Perth. Another portrait labelled Anna Hay in quite different costume is also dated 1625. Her children included: •
George Seton, Lord Seton (d.1648), who married Henrietta Gordon, a daughter of
George Gordon, 2nd Marquess of Huntly •
Alexander Seton, 1st Viscount of Kingston • Margaret Seton (1617-1637). • Elizabeth Seton (1621–1650), who married in 1637,
William Keith, 7th Earl Marischal • Isobel Seton, who married John Glendinning of Parton • Anna Seton, who injured her leg in 1627. ==References==