James Ferguson, Lord Pitfour | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Lord Pitfour | |
| Born | 1700 Pitfour, Aberdeenshire, Scotland |
| Died | 25 June 1777 (aged 76–77) Gilmerton, Midlothian, Scotland |
| Nationality | Scottish |
| Occupation | Advocate |
James Ferguson, Lord Pitfour (1700 – 25 June 1777) was a Scottish advocate and second Laird of Pitfour, a large estate in Buchan. His flourishing law practice was sited opposite Parliament House in Edinburgh. He became Dean of the Faculty of Advocates in 1760 and was elevated to the bench as Lord Pitfour, in 1764.
Pitfour was described as one of the greatest lawyers in the country. However, by the time he became a Senator of the College of Justice he was past his prime intellectually and thus did not make much of an impact in that role. A Jacobite sympathiser, he is best known for his defence of rebels standing trial at Carlisle after the Jacobite risings.
Ferguson inherited the Pitfour estate on the death of his father, James Ferguson, 1st Laird of Pitfour. He purchased additional lands and expanded the estate, which became known as "the Blenheim of the North". A staunch Episcopalian, he had a private Qualified Chapel built on the estate. He also established a small village and arranged for plantations of Douglas firs near the mansion house.