The Gordons at Otterburn

The Gordons at Otterburn

On the 5th of August, 1388, the Battle of Otterburn took place. This was a skirmish between Scotland’s James, 2nd Earl of Douglas, and England’s Henry “Hotspur” Percy, the son of the Earl of Northumberland. This battle was part of continuous Anglo-Scottish border conflicts that were quite common at the time. It was a decisive […]

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ScotClans on the Road to the Isles

ScotClans on the Road to the Isles

There is something about the North West coast of Scotland. Maybe it’s the ancient weather beaten rocks of the shoreline or the near perfect sandy beaches with their scattering of tiny tidal islands. Perhaps its the light or the remote locations. Whatever it is I always feel like I’ve ventured into another world, as if […]

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19th Century Clan Catalogue For Sale

19th Century Clan Catalogue For Sale

A rare 19th century volume of lavishly illustrated clan fashion is set to go under the hammer in Edinburgh tomorrow. Part of auction house Bonham’s Scottish sale, Costume of the Clans is an illustrated guide that shows how tartan trews and kilts were historically worn. The book, which is numbered 37 of 500 copies, is […]

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Calling all Murrays

Calling all Murrays

Blair Castle, one of Scotland’s biggest tourist destinations and the ancestral home of the Murray Clan, is marking Scotland’s Year of Homecoming with an open invitation to all Murrays across the globe to visit their ancestral home, and their visits to the Castle will be absolutely free. The Castle, which has been the home of […]

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Tartan Day Celebrated Around the World

Tartan Day Celebrated Around the World

Celebrated annually around the world, April 6 is recognised as an international celebration of Scottish heritage and ancestry. Known as Tartan Day, the celebration marks the anniversary of the 1320 signing of the Declaration of Arbroath, sought to assert Scotland’s right to self-govern, and to lift the Catholic church’s excommunication of Robert the Bruce. As […]

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Kelburn Castle Set to Reopen

Kelburn Castle Set to Reopen

The seat of Clan Boyle, also known as the ‘graffiti castle’, is set to reopen after a five year £500,000 renovation. Kelburn Castle near Largs, North Ayrshire was closed in 2009 following a fire in the roof. Extensive renovations have now been finished and it is to reopen at the start of April as a […]

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This Week in History: Isabel MacDuff and Robert the Bruce

This Week in History: Isabel MacDuff and Robert the Bruce

With attention focused on the approaching 700th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn, it’s worth taking a look at the events and figures instrumental in the lead-up to the momentous battle. Strangely absent from the legends surrounding Bannockburn is the role played by women, even though one largely looked-over heroine enabled Robert the Bruce’s claim […]

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