Simon Preston of Craigmillar

Simon Preston of Craigmillar (c. 1510 – c. 1570) was Provost of Edinburgh during the years 1565 to 1569 and was a member of the Privy Council of Scotland during the reign of Mary, Queen of Scots.

The English diplomat in Edinburgh Thomas Randolph was not very pleased with this news (which did not suit his view of England's foreign policy), but wrote that Preston was the best of the "packe" of four in which "the moste hope is of Cragmellour.

[4]: 157 On 6 October 1566 the Privy Council made Preston collector-general of a tax of £12,000 Scots to be raised to entertain the ambassadors at the baptism of Prince James.

[7] His city residence (demolished to build South Bridge) was known as the Black Turnpike, and stood on the corner of Hunter Square near the Tron Kirk.

[10] In September 1553, Regent Arran gave Preston a ring at the christening of one his children, bought from Alexander Gilbert, an Edinburgh goldsmith.