Sir John Semple, the only son of Thomas Semple, was created a Peer by King James the Fourth, though the precise date is not ascertained, but Crawfurd says in 1488, the year his father fell in battle. He sat as a Peer in Parliament, March 18, 1503-1504. He rected, or rather rebuilt, near the eastern end of the Loch (Lochwinnoch) the castle of Castleton, the name of which he changed to Castle-Semple, near which he founded the Collegiate Church of Lochwinnoch, 1505, “to the honour of God and the blessed Virgin Mary, for the prosperity of his sovereign, James the Fourth, and Margaret, his queen; for the soul of Margaret Colville, his former spouse; and also for the salvation of his own soul and that of Margaret Crichton, his present wife, and of all his predecessors and successors, and of all the faithful deceased.” This foundation was confirmed by King James the Fourth at Edinburgh, June 5, 1506. It was richly endowed by Lord Semple with a large revenue for the maintenance of a prebend and six chaplains, for celebrating divine service, and became a place of sepulture to this family. John, first Lord Semple, fell at the battle of Flodden, September 9, 1513. He married, first Margaret, daughter of Sir Robert Colville of Ochiltree, by whom he had two sons, William and Gabriel…
He married, secondly, Margaret daughter of Sir James Crichton of Ruthvendeny, relict of Sir William Stirling of Keir, but by whom he had no issue.
