Halydean (pronounced "Hollydeen," and also spelled "Holydean") is a Scottish feudal Crown Barony and Lordship which lies in Roxburghshire in the neighbourhood of Kelso, in the Borderlands of Scotland, along the River Tweed. This area along the Tweed is home to the Scottish border clans, including the Armstrongs, Elliots, Johnstones, Kers, Moffats, and many others.
The first Lord Halydean was created by King David I of Scotland when he erected the Barony and Lordship of Halydean in 1128. The Abbot of Kelso from Kelso Abbey was the local lord, who ruled one of the most powerful ecclesiastical burghs in all of Scotland. This burgh was rivaled only by St. Andrews. David I brought the monks from Tiron in Picardy, whom he transferred from Selkirk. The monks were part of the peerage of Scotland until 1545 when the Earl of Hertford reduced the abbey to ruins. The next Lord of Halydean was made in 1602 when the Barony and Lordship of Halydean was assigned to Sir Rober Ker of Cessford, who was made 1st Earl of Roxburghe. One of his heirs became the Duke of Roxburghe, and eventually the Lordship and Barony of Halydean were assigned in the traditional Scottish manner to Clan Moffat, another Scottish border clan. Taylor Moffitt of Halydean is the present Baron and Lord of Halydean. This would make Taylor Moffitt of Halydean the 15th Baron and Lord of Halydean since secularization in 1602. The incumbent is Ewan Moffitt of Halydean. Ewan will be the 16th Lord of Halydean after Taylor passes away. This succession is according to the customs of primogeniture.
In late 2014 the current Lord of Halydean registered Halydean Corporation in the United States as an agricultural land holding company with other agricultural businesses, as a wholly owned subsidiary of The Barony and Lordship of Halydean, and has since added numerous shareholders. Its present business plan remains consistent with its original charter in 1128 and reassign in 1602.
After the abolition of feudal tenure, feudal nobles no longer hold any automatic political authority, but are entitled to keep the dignity of their titles. Halydean is a Feudal Lordship. As such, feudal lords are no longer addressed as "Lord (Placename)" because they no longer sit in parliament, but being feudal barons, they should be called "Lord of (Placename)" or simply "(Placename)" or "Baron." Halydean he is inclined to have all who meet him style him as, "plain old Taylor."
The Barony and Lordship of Halydean (Holydean) is one of the oldest Norman feudal baronies.