Robert Barton of Over Barnton

Robert Barton of Over Barnton (died 1540) was a Scottish landowner, merchant, sailor and politician. He served as Comptroller, Master of the Mint and Lord High Treasurer to James V of Scotland.

Robert Barton was a son of John Barton the sailor. He took Perkin Warbeck away from Scotland in the Cuckoo in July 1497. His usual business was exporting goods to Flanders and importing into Scotland, items bought by the King James IV included blue damask cloth, and timber for the ceiling of the chapel at Holyroodhouse in 1504. In February 1506 he was paid for buying a ship in France for James, which seems to have been the Lion. His crew and ship were hired by the king in July 1506. Robert also went to Dumbarton to assist with construction of another ship there. The Barton brothers had a letter of Marque, originally granted to their father in 1485, which gave them legal protection in Scotland to prey on Portuguese shipping.

By 1507 Robert was wealthy enough to buy the estate of Barnton from William Dundas of Dundas. His brother Andrew Barton was captured and executed by the English in 1511. John Barton died at Kirkcudbright in 1513 after taking ships of the Royal Scots Navy to France. In 1519, a ship of Robert's, the Black Barque was captured by Spanish sailors near Yarmouth and the crew abandoned on the English coast.

In 1524 Robert and David Falconer agreed to provide a task-force for Christian II of Denmark. Frederick I of Denmark wrote to the Duke of Albany about their activities in January 1529. As late as February 1536, Christian III of Denmark wrote to James V asking for the service of his famous captains, Robert Barton and Robert Fogo. By this time Robert was an old man.

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