SCOTLAND HISTORY

Clan Darroch:

Origins of the Name:

The name darroch is said to derive from the Gaelic word 'Macdara' which meant "son of oak". The Darrochs settled around Stirling. and appear to derive their name from Darroch near Falkirk, where there once may have been an Oak grove.

15th century:

John Darroch was baille of Stirling in 1406. John Darach de Cruce is mentioned in 1445 and may be the same person as John Darraugh who was the commissioner to Parliament for the burgh of Stirling in 1450. Mariote Darrauch was nurse of Lady Margaret the second daughter of King James II of Scotland in 1462. Marion Darroch of Stirling protested in 1471 that she had not given consent to the alienation of an annual rent due to her. Jacobus Darroch was a notary public who appears as a witness to a charter relating to the lands of the Stirlings of Keir around 1477. Although the Darrochs were notable in and around Stirling they were most numerous on the Isle of Islay and the Isle of Jura where they were part of the powerful Clan Donald or MacDonald who were ruled by MacDonald Lord of the Isles.

17th century:

In 1623 the Clan Darroch appears on a bond acknowledging Sir Donald MacDonald, first Baronet of Sleat as their overlord and protector.

18th century:

In the later half of the 18th century Duncan Darroch returned to Scotland after making a fortune in the West Indies. He acquired the Barony of Gourock from the Stewarts of Castlemilk in 1784. He was also granted arms by the Court of the Lord Lyon and designated Chief of McIireich.

19th century:

His son, who was also called Duncan and was 2nd Baron of Gourock rose to the rank of Lieutenant General in the Glengarry Fencibles Regiment His son who was also called Duncan became 3rd Baron of Gourock and also married the daughter of a wealthy merchant called the Laird of Fairlie in Ayrshire. Long after the Scottish clans were over the northern estates in Torriden Ross-shire were acquired by the fourth Baron of Gourock in 1873. The clan was united by marraige to the Clan MacKintosh when Margaret Darroch of Gourock married the Chief of Clan MacKintosh; Raer Admril Lachlan MacKintosh. She later published a well respected history of the MacKintosh clan.

20th century:

The sixth Baron of Gourlock also followed a military career serving in the British regiment of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. He served in both World Wars. He was also a member of the Royal Company of Archers. His son is the present Clan Darroch Chief.

Clan Davidson:

Clan History:

When the power of the Comyns began to wane in Badenoch, Donald Dubh of Invernahaven, Chief of Davidsons, having married the daughter of Angus, 6th of MacKintosh, sought the protection of William, 7th of MacKintosh, before 1350, and Clan Davidson became associated with the Chattan Confederation. In the 18th century we find important families like the Davidsons of Cantray and the Davidsons of Tulloch. The latter family came into possession of the lands and castle of Tulloch, near Dingwall, in 1762, when Henry Davidson purchased the estate from his cousin Kenneth Bayne.

Clan Wars:

The Battle of Invernahoven 1370 or 1387. The Clan Cameron numbering approximately 400 men were returning home with the booty they had acquired after a raid at Badenoch. They were overtaken at Invernahavon by a body of Clan Chattan Confederation led by Lachlan, Laird of Macintosh. The Clan Chattan forces consisted of the MacKintoshes, Davidsons and Macphersons. As a result of a disagreement as to whether the Davidsons or Macphersons would occupy the right wing which was the post of honour, the Macphersons withdrew in disgust from the army. The combined numbers of the Clan Chattan confederation had outnumbered the Camerons but with the loss of the Macphersons the Camerons now had a greater number. The battle resulted in a defeat for the Clan Chattan Confederation (Mackintosh and Davidson). It is said that an ally of Cameron known as Charles MacGilony led the clan into battle and is believed to have changed the outcome of the day with his uncanny ability as an archer. At this point, possibly the next morning the Macphersons changed their minds and decided to rejoin the Chattan confederation attacking the Camerons with such vigor that they changed the victory into defeat, and put the Camerons "to flight" towards Drumouchter, skirting the end of Loch Ericht, and then westwards in the direction of the River Treig. The MacKintoshes later claimed that the Macphersons were coaxed into the battle by a man from clan Mackintosh who turned up at Macphersons camp pretending to be from Clan Cameron and calling the Macphersons cowards. The Macphersons then attacked the Camerons camp making a dreadful slaughter of them, even killing the Cameron's uncanny archer Charles MacGilony at a place now called Charles's Valley, or in Gailic Coire Thearlaich. The Clan Davidson were led by Chief Sir Robert Davidson at the Battle of Harlaw in 1411 where he was slain.

Clan Dewar:

Origin of name:

The infamous Ragman Roll includes the record of the first known people by the name Dewar where Thomas and Piers de Deware both having swore fealty to King Edward I.

Wars of Scottish Independence:

During the Wars of Scottish Independence the Clan Dewar are known to have supported King Robert the Bruce. The Clan Dewar were carriers of and custodians of the Staff of St Fillan. St Fillan was a Celtic saint who died in 777 AD. This famous relic was carried by the Dewars at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. Despite changing hands over the centuries the relic has been tracked down and is now in the Museum of Antiques in Edinburgh.

15th Century:

Later in 1497 a charter of lands was granted to William Dewar. There were also mentions of Dewars in Stirling around 1483. From this branch rose the Dewar of Cambuskenneth line.

18th Century:

In 1710 John Dewar the son of Patrick Dewar of Cambuskenneth was fined £50 for causing 'blood and riot'. William Dewar of this line sold his lands in Dewar and moved to Carrington. It is from this family line that the present Chief descends. The Dewars were commercially successful and purchased the Barony and estate of Vogrie in 1719. David Dewar of Vogrie was Postmaster General of Leith and Endinburgh.

19th Century:

The Vorgrie estates were extremely fruitful and a flourishing coal mine was sited there in the mid 19th century as well as Scotlands first gun powder mill. The Mansion house of Vogrie was built by Alexander, sixth Laird, although the estate has shrunk from 2,000 to around 250 acres the house still stands and the estates are now open to the public as Vogrie Country Park

20th Century:

The name Dewar is synonymous with whisky and this was due in no small part by the efforts of John Dewar. Born in 1856 he transformed the business and the industry and was created Baron Forteviot of Dupplin In 1917.

Clan Drummond :

Origin of name:

The clan's first recorded chief was Malcolm Beg, whose son, also called Malcolm, fought at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. After the battle the clan was given lands in Perthshire by King Robert I. Two of his grandsons, Gilbert and John de Drumund, swore fealty to Edward I. Malcolm's great-granddaughter, Annabella became the mother of King James I of Scotland in 1394. Sir Malcolm, the eldest great-grandson of the aforementioned Malcolm, obtained the clan home, Stobhall Castle, from his aunt Queen Margaret Drummond, King David II's wife. He was murdered by Highland marauders in 1403. His brother John's great-grandson, also John, became a Lord of Parliament and the first Lord Drummond[1]. One year of his life was spent in confinement within Blackness Castle after he assaulted the Lord Lyon, King of Arms. He had a daughter, Margaret, said to have been secretly married to King James IV, who died by means of a meal, along with two of her sisters. Although some say it was murder, others claim it was simple food poisoning. Later, James Drummond, descendant of John, Margaret's father, became the first Earl of Perth in 1605, and his brother John became his successor on his death in 1611, and his sons became Earls of Perth like their father before them.

Wars of Scottish Independence:

During the Wars of Scottish Independence Clan Drummond fought against the English at the Battle of Dunbar in 1296 and the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314 in support of King Robert the Bruce. Malcolm Beg's son, The third Malcolm of Drummond fought at Bannockburn. He is credited with the deployment of caltrops, iron spikes to injure horses before the battle started.

Civil War:

During the battles that followed in the decades after the Civil War the Clan Drummond fought at the Battle of Killiecrankie in 1689.

Jacobite Rebellion:

The Drummonds were supporters of the Jacobites and the House of Stuart. When King James VII came to the throne, James Drummond, 4th Earl of Perth, converted to the Catholic Faith, as did his brother, the 1st Earl of Melfort. Clan Drummond fought as Jacobites at the Battle of Culloden in 1746. For their support of the Stewarts through the risings of 1715 and 1745 the property and titles of the Drummonds were twice forfeited. It was not until 1853, through an Act of Parliament, that the title of Earl of Perth and other forfeited titles were restored to George Drummond, who was also in the French peerage as a Baron

Clan Drummond in the 20th Century:

James Eric Drummond (1876-1951), 16th Earl of Perth, served as the first secretary-general of the League of Nations. Lord Perth, a Catholic, was also British ambassador to Rome, from 1933 to 1939, and was chief advisor on foreign publicity at the Ministry of Information during World War II. His successor, John David Drummond, was able to buy back the family home, Stobhall Castle.

Septs:

Grewar Gruer Maccrouther Macgrewar Macgrowther Macgruder Macgruther MacRobbie

Clan Dunbar :

Origin of name:

The Clan dunbar descend from Gospatrick, grandson of Crinan the Thane and Seneschal of the Isles and nephew to King Duncan I of Scotland who became Earl of Northumberland after his father. In 1072 this title was deprived from him by William the Conqueror and he fled back to Scotland. He was granted lands in Dunbar by King Malcolm III of Scotland thus becoming the Earl of Dunbar.

14th Century:

Patrick, the 8th Earl of Dunbar was also called the Earl of March. Patrick was one of the competitors for the crown of Scotland. However he withdrew his claim and swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. Patrick's son also swore fealty to King Edward II of England. However he later signed the decleration of Arbroath in 1320 for Scottish Independence.

Scottish Wars of Independence:

During the Wars of Scottish Independence Patrick's son married the daughter of Thomas Randolph, Earl of Moray the famous Black Angus. It was she, 'Isobell' who succesfully defended Dunbar Castle against the English in 1338. However the Dunbars were not supporters of Robert the Bruce. The Dunbars also fought against the English at the Battle of Otterburn in 1388 with the Earl of Douglas.

15th Century:

The Earldom of Moray passed to Isobell's children who were Dunbars. The Earldom of Dunbar went to George Dunbar and the Earldom of Moray to his brother John Dunbar. The earldom of Dunbar was forfieted in 1435 by King James I of Scotland who saw the Earldom as powerful threat and so the title came to an end. John the Earl of Moray married Marjorie, the daughter of King Robert II of Scotland and they had two sons. Their sons were Thomas and and James. Thomas married the heiress of Frendraught. James became the 4th Earl of Moray and was the last in that male line. James was murderd in 1429 and the Earldom of Moray passed down through the daughters line. The son , Sir Alexander of Westfield from his second marriage became the 1st Baron of Mochrum in 1694, ancestor to the hereditary Sheriffs of Moray.

16th Century:

The Dunbars prosperd in Moray despite a feud with the Clan Innes. Many cadet branches of the Dunbars were founded. the Baronets of Durn, of Northfield and of Hempriggs in Caithness. Gavin Dunbar of the Mochrum family was appointed Archbishop of Glasgow and Lord Chancellor of Scotland in the reign of James V, while his exact namesake of the Westfield family was Bishop of Aberdeen and uncle to another Gavin Dunbar, tutor of the young King James V of Scotland.

Clan Dundas :

Origin of name:

The word 'Dun deas' in Gaelic means 'south fort'. The Dundas family occupied lands on the southern shores of the Firth of Forth. The family is believed to descend from 'Helias', son of 'Hutred', a younger son of Gospatrick, Prince of Northumberland. The Clan Dunbar and Clan Moncreiff also descend from the stock of Gospatrick. Records from the reign of William the Lion mention Serle de Dundas, Serle and Robertus de Dundas who both signed King Edward I of England's Ragman Roll.

Wars of Scottish Independence:

During the Wars of Scottish Independence the Clan Dundas fought alongside William Wallace against the English. Later they would also fight alongside King Robert I of Scotland against the English. However chief Sir George Dundas was killed at the Battle of Dupplin Moor in 1332.

15th Century:

James Dundas built Dundas Castle in 1424.

Civil War:

Chief George Dundas the eighteenth laird led the Clan Dundas during the civil war on the side of the Convenantors. George Dundas was also on the committee that tried James Graham the 1st Marquess of Montrose.

Jacobite Uprisings:

William Dundas of Kincavel was imprisoned for his part in the 1715 Jacobite rebellion. Many of the Dundass estates were forfeited after the 145-1746 Jacobite rebellion.