Charles Erskine also spelled Areskine (1680 – 5 April 1763), of Tinwald and Barjarg, Dumfries, and Alva, Clackmannan was Lord Advocate, a Scottish judge, and a politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1722 to 1742.
Life
thumb|330px|Alva House early 20th c postcard
Erskine was the fourth son of Charles Erskine of Alva, Clackmannanshire and his wife Christian Dundas, daughter of James Dundas. His older brothers included Robert Erskine, physician to Peter the Great.
He was educated at the High School of Edinburgh and studied law at the University of Edinburgh from 1693. At the age of 20, he was a candidate for the office of one of the four Regents of the University of Edinburgh, and after an examination with several competitors obtained that appointment on 26 November 1700 until 17 October 1707. On 7 November 1707, he was appointed the first Professor of Public Law at the University, despite the protests of the council. He was at Utrecht around 1710 and became a member of the Faculty of Advocates on 14 July 1711.
Erskine was elected Member of Parliament for Dumfriesshire in 1722, 1727, and 1734, for the Dumfries Burghs in 1734, for the Tain Burghs in 1741. He was Solicitor General for Scotland from 2 June 1725, Lord Advocate from 20 January 1737 to 1742. He was raised as a Lord of Justiciary, and also to the bench on 23 November 1744 as Lord Tinwald. He was also Lord Justice Clerk from 15 June 1748 until his death. His Edinburgh property at this time (required to attend the Edinburgh courts) was at Mylne's Square, opposite the Tron Kirk 200m east of the courts.
In 1755, he purchased Drumsheugh House west of Edinburgh. He commissioned James Adam to extend the property and refront in a more modern idiom. The house was two storey and basement in form. The house was demolished to create Drumsheugh Place.
Family
He married Grizel Grierson, daughter of John Grierson of Barjarg on 21 December 1712,