The name ‘Preston’ signifies the town or settlement of priests, which results from monks from Newbattle and Holyrood settling in the district in 1184 AD.
Their eldest son James Hamilton was killed in 1520 before his father’s death in 1520, during an incident known as "Cleanse the Causeway" on the High Street of Edinburgh in 1520.
George Hamilton is noted as having re-established a parish church in Preston, built by the minister John Davidson in 1596, and founding an academy there.
[7] Sir John Hamilton born 1565,[8] received crown charters of the united baronies of Preston and Prestonpans in 1617 and 1623.
The initials of John Hamilton and his wife Katherine Howieson were carved in the stonework of Preston Tower.
Sir Thomas accompanied King Charles II during the invasion of England in 1651 which ended in disaster at Worcester.
As his lands and residence had been destroyed by Cromwell’s army during the occupation of Scotland after 1651 many original charters were lost.
Consequently, the Scots Parliament reissued them including one for the united baronies of Preston and Prestonpans on 4 June 1663.
[13] He married three times and by his second wife Anne Hamilton, had two sons William and Robert, both of whom became baronets of Preston in succession.
Sir Robert Hamilton of Preston (1650-1701) was a zealous Presbyterian and led the Covenanters at the victory at the Battle of Drumclog and at the failure at Bothwell Bridge in 1679.
After the Oswalds the estate was acquired by Lord Grange much of which was eventually bought by Dr James Schaw.
Lord and Lady Grange lived at Preston House which was built towards the end of the 16th century for Thomas, son of Sir James Oswald, Lord Provost of Edinburgh and was eventually acquired by Dr James Schaw about 1780 when he acquired the Barony of Preston.