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Clan Guthrie History

In the region of Angus in the North-East of Scotland appear to be where this family took its name. There are a few different ideas regarding the origin of the name. One rather unlikely suggestion was that it came from a Scottish king when a local fisherman ‘gut three’ fish to serve to him. A more plausible suggestion is that its from the Gaelic for ‘Windy Place’ ‘gaothairach’. This would certainly fit with the North East of Scotland.

Guthrie Castle in Angus, was initially built in the 1400s by Sir David Guthrie (1435–1500)

Guthrie Castle in Angus, was initially built in the 1400s by Sir David Guthrie (1435–1500)

Early Guthries were royal falconers and they purchased the lands of Guthrie from estates granted to the Abbey of Arbroath by King William the Lion in 1178.

After the disastrous Battle of Falkirk in 1298 William Wallace had fled to France to rally support. In 1299 the Laird of Guthrie traveled to France to persuade him to return. Wallace accepted and they landed at Montrose,

Guthries’ signatures appear on a charters in 1442, alas many earlier records have been lost. Kincaldrum near Forfar was acquired by Alexander Guthrie of Guthrie in 1446 and in 1461 Sir David Guthrie of Guthrie, armour bearer to the king was appointed Lord Treasurer of Scotland. Later in 1468 he began the construction of a castle at Guthrie and was elevated to Lord Chief Justice of Scotland in 1473. Sir David’s eldest son Sir Alexander was killed at the Battle of Flodden.

The Guthries were supporters of the young King James VI against his own mother Mary Queen of Scots who had been portrayed as a challenge to his authority as King. It was around this time that Alexander Guthrie was murdered following a feud with the neighboring Gardynes which continued until 1618.

In 1636, John Guthrie, became the eleventh chief. In 1621 he became minister of St Giles cathedral in Edinburgh. His rise continued when 2 Years later he was made Bishop of Moray. His views regarding religious reforms were not in line with the kings views and this led to the bishops home, Spynie castle being taken by force in 1640.

The bishops third son Andrew followed the campaign of the Marquis of Montrose. He met a not dissimilar fate, after being taken at the Battle of Philiphaugh he was transported to Edinburgh and beheaded by Edinburgh infamous ‘Maiden’ A smaller version of the French guillotine. This macabre device is still on display in Edinburgh’s Museum of Antiquities.

James Guthrie was a minister, ordained minister of Lauder in 1638 he supported the Covenanters. When he moved to Stirling in 1649 he preached openly against the king’s religious views. The Church of Scotland stripped him of his office but he carried on unperturbed until his arrest in 1661, after a swift trial he was executed later that year.

Lieutenant Colonel Ivan Guthrie of Guthrie was the last chief to live at Guthrie Castle. Born in 1886 he became a distinguished soldier, commanding the 4th Battalion the Black Watch and was awarded the Military Cross.

The present chief lives in England and Guthrie Castle has since been sold.

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