Robert the Bruce, arguably one of Scotlands best known kings died in 1329. On his deathbed he confided in his friend and lieutenant Sir James Douglas, hero of Bannockburn. Now depending on which version of this story you hear he either asked Douglas that his heart be taken from his body and presented at the […]
In part five of this series, Rodger Moffet of ScotClans tells the story of how Clan Carmichael came to have the broken lance as their crest image. The Carmichaels were a large and powerful landowning family from the Southern Uplands of Scotland. They occupied land around Lanarkshire for over 800 years and had strong ties […]
Yesterday myself, my two kids and mad dog Floyd went for an explore around Hailes Castle. I’m embarrassed to say that I have never been before, Hailes Castle is just 30 mins away from where I live. Finding Hailes Castle is quite difficult. Brown signs lead you off the A1 announcing it is only […]
In this series of articles Rodger Moffet at ScotClans looks at some of the symbolism used in clan heraldry and explores their meaning and origin. In this episode we look at the powerful border clan, Armstrong. This blog should probably have the working subtitle ‘just when you thought you knew the answer’. I have to […]
Glenfalloch, which bounds the barony of Arrochar to the north was always the pass for the people of Athole into Arrochar on their way to the lower grounds of Monteith and Stirling. There are many stories that are still told to this day among the people living in Arrochar of the raids of the Athole […]
This is the third episode on our series that explores the meaning behind some of the best known clan crests. Today Rodger Moffet gets his ‘head around’ Clan MacNab. Clan MacNab are a Highland clan from the area around Killin at the head of Loch Tay. The name MacNab comes from Mac an Abu, meaning “the […]
In the second in this series, ScotClans’ Rodger Moffet looks at the origin of the crest of this popular and fearsome Border clan – The Turnbulls… The surname Turnbull shares the attributes of many Scottish surnames in that it relates to a deed performed by an ancestor (or at least that is the popular tale). […]
In the first or a new series ScotClans, Rodger Moffet looks at some of the most popular of Scotland’s clan crests and examines how they have come about. From daring deeds to religious symbols many well known clan crests have a fascinating back story… Clan Stewart and the Pelican. There are several crests associated with […]
Scotland has had a long and turbulent history. From the Middle Ages where life was best described by Thomas Hobbes’ quote as ‘Nasty, brutish and short’ through the troubled times of the reformation and on to the Jacobite risings. Here is a rundown of Scots who have met an untimely (or just plain bizarre) end. […]
A 5,000-year-old whalebone figurine, one of the oldest representations of a human form ever found in Britain, has been rediscovered after going missing for more than 150 years. The figurine has been dubbed the “Buddo” of Skara Brae a name taken from an Orcadian word meaning ‘friend’. It was carved from a single piece of […]
