Some time ago Dr Bruce Durie, former professor of Genealogy at Strathclyde University and a very good friend sent me this article…. Enjoy: Clans and Families Clans are a consequence of the templating of the Anglo-Norman feudal system onto pre- existing territorial holdings, but with certain specific features (such as a military elite), and were […]
Intrinsically linked like bread and butter, whisky and the Clans are about as all things Scot as you’re going to get. Here are our top five links between the water of life and Scotland’s oldest families. 1. Dalmore In 1263, an ancestor of Clan Mackenzie saved King Alexander III of Scotland from being gored by […]
Edinburgh has a rich history of ghosts and ghastly characters, so much so that it is supposedly the most haunted city in all of Europe! Most of the tales and sightings take place around Edinburgh’s Old Town, in particular the Castle, which is said to be home to as many as seven spirits, the vaults […]
Eerie goings on at Sorbie Tower have been reported. A grey lady has been sighted on many different occasions so the paranormal investigation team, Most Ghostly were called in. Sorbie Tower is the ancestral home of Clan Hannay, between Garlieston and Sorbie, with the keyholders Steve Hanna and his wife Chris showed the investigation team […]
Throughout history there are incidents that at the time may seem small or even insignificant, the action of a few individuals who would normally be considered mere spectators in the pageant of history. Some obvious incidents come to mind; The Boston Tea Party or the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand both give rise to a ‘butterfly […]
Today a lovely pink envelope dropped through our letter box at the ScotClans office, always like pink envelopes – bills don’t tend to be in them. Inside was a thank you card, a newspaper cutting and a note all from Mrs Jill Sharp. A while back Jills Pen-Pal had contacted us telling us Jill’s story […]
With a new season of Game of Thrones on TV screens avid fans will be enthralled at the twists and turns of this epic tale. However as I recently discovered while staying on Islay, the inspiration behind many of the series’ most bloody moments come from the stories of our own Scottish Clans. The Island […]
A short ferry trip from Gourock to the west of Glasgow takes you to the town of Dunoon. This seaside town was once a favoured destination as families from the polluted tenements of Glasgow would seek a respite from the foul air. The Cowal peninsula is a gateway to the highlands and one of the […]
News has just reached us of the sudden death of Charles Kennedy, the 8th Marquis of Ailsa and Chief of Clan Kennedy. Lord Charles passed away suddenly while over in Florida attending Central Florida Highland Games. He was 58. As well as being Marquis he was also 19th Earl of Cassilis, 21st Lord Kennedy, 8th […]
There is an old Scottish tale behind the MacLachlan Coat of Arms. Legend has it that the reason behind the two roebucks (deers) supporting the MacLachlan Chief’s Coat of Arms came in 1249, when King Alexander II made his great show of strength in Argyll, he ordered the local chiefs to send their money (taxes) […]
