Category: Scottish Clans
Hugh William Mackay, Chief of Clan Mackay Dies
It is with sadness that we announce the death of Hugh William Mackay, 14th Lord Reay, Baron Mackay and Chief of Clan Mackay. A distinguished parliamentarian, Mackay served in the House of Lords, held office for a short time in the Thatcher government and later sat for six years in the European Parliament. Mackay died [...]
The Storehouse of Foulis
Sitting on the banks of the Cromarty Firth between Evanton and Dingwall, the Storehouse of Foulis is a fully restored 18th Century building that once housed the rent paid in kind from the Munro estate. Once only visited by horse and cart, the Storehouse now sits alongside the busy A9 with cars zipping past on [...]
Map Reveals Scots Modern-Day Surnames
A map of Great Britain’s most popular surnames shows the dominance that clan areas still hold in Scotland, while other areas show the effects of modern-day immigration. Created by experts from three English Universities, Uncertainty of Identity uses surnames listed on the electoral roll to find the three most popular names in each electoral ward. [...]
Conservation Work Begins on Drum Castle
Drum Castle, ancient seat of Clan Irvine, has received a £700,000 conservation grant from Historic Scotland. The 700-year old castle boasts the oldest keep in Scotland and is the oldest intact building under the care of the trust. The castle is to undergo specialist works to remove cement pointing, replacing it with traditional, breathable lime [...]
An Expedition to Munro Country
The Highlands in the spring time are a busy, bustling place. Tractors hold up traffic on the A9, lambs dot the earthy-coloured countryside and freshly sown fields of barley await the warmth of summer. A few weeks ago I visited the Highlands for the first time to interview my second Clan Chief, traveling about half [...]
John Wood of Tullidavie and the ‘Casket Letters’
A grandson of the celebrated Scottish hero, Admiral Sir Andrew Wood of Largo who founded the present successor chiefly family, John attached himself to the service of James Stewart, a natural son of King James V and half-brother to the ill-fated Mary. John accompanied Stewart, in 1558, to attend the wedding of Queen Mary of [...]
The Battle of Clachnaharry
Perched atop a hill overlooking the Beauly Firth in Inverness, the Clachnaharry Monument commemorates a particularly fierce battle between Clan Munro and Clan Chattan that occurred in 1454. After a day of sunbathing (in April) in the Highlands, I decided to take advantage of the unusually warm evening and take a walk out to the [...]
For Sale: Two Castles, TLC Required
Lordscairnie Castle – situated on the outskirts of Fife near Moonzie – was built between 1493 and 1498 by Sir Alexander Lindsay, seventh Earl of Crawford. The forlorn ruins are being sold for around £200,000, with selling agent Smiths Gore hoping to find an ‘emotional purchaser’ ready to take on the castle’s challenges. At the [...]
Clan Munro Boosts Highlanders Museum Revamp
Clan Munro has helped to bring a Highland military museum fundraising campaign one step closer to victory. Hector Munro of Foulis, Chief of Clan Munro, has donated £15,000 on behalf of the clan and wider family to the Highlander’s Museum fundraising appeal. The Highlanders are the descendents of Scottish Regiments originally raised from the clans [...]
Shining in History – Five Scottish Heroines
Upon the death of Scottish Doctor and Suffragist Elsie Inglis, Winston Churchill remarked that Inglis and her band of nurses would ‘shine in history’. From a Lady who raised rebel troops, to a seafaring businesswoman, here are five real-life heroines who have shone against the backdrop of Scottish history: Dr. Elsie Inglis – Surgeon and [...]
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