Clan Forrester facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Forrester |
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Crest: A hound's head erased Proper collared Gules
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| Motto | Blaw, Hunter, Blaw Thy Horn | ||
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| Region | Lowlands | ||
| District | Lothian, Stirlingshire | ||
| Animal | Hound | ||
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| Armigerous Clan | |||
| The Chief of Clan Forrester | |||
| Historic seat | Corstorphine Castle Torwood Castle |
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The Forresters are an old and respected family group from the Scottish Lowlands. Their name comes from their job as protectors of the royal forest near Edinburgh. The Forresters owned a lot of land in Lothian and Stirlingshire. Today, the clan does not have a main leader, called a chief. This means they are an armigerous clan, which is a clan without a recognized chief.
The main homes of the clan were likely Torwood Castle in Stirlingshire and Corstorphine Castle near Edinburgh. Many Forrester chiefs were buried in Corstorphine Church.
Contents
History of the Forrester Clan
How the Clan Started
The first chiefs of Clan Forrester might have been Celts. They may have come from Marnin the Forrester, who lived around 1200. He owned land in Dunipace, Stirlingshire.
The person often seen as the clan's founder is Sir Adam Forrester. He was an important person in Scotland. He worked as an ambassador and a merchant. He was also the Provost of Edinburgh, like a mayor. Sir Adam was also the Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland. This meant he looked after the official stamp used for important documents. He was also a Deputy Chamberlain of Scotland, helping manage the royal household's money.
In 1376, Sir Adam bought the Corstorphine estate in Midlothian. This area is now part of Edinburgh. Corstorphine Castle used to stand there, but it is now gone. The Collegiate Church of Corstorphine is still there. It has statues of three Forrester chiefs.
Sir Adam Forrester's son, Sir John Forrester the elder, was also very important. He was also Keeper of the Great Seal and Chamberlain of Scotland. He worked for James I of Scotland, the king.
Fighting for Scottish Independence
The Forresters were involved in the Wars of Scottish Independence. They fought in the Battle of Halidon Hill in 1333. They also took part in the Battle of Sauchieburn in the 1400s.
The 1500s and Wars with England
The chief's family had several smaller family branches. One of these was Sir John Forrester of Niddry. He died fighting at the Battle of Flodden in 1513.
Another branch was the Forresters of Garden in Stirlingshire. They were the traditional keepers of the Torwood. This was a royal forest and a hunting area. They owned the Garden barony and Torwood. The old ruins of Torwood Castle can still be seen today. Sir Duncan Forrester, the first of Torwood, managed the royal household's money for James IV of Scotland. Many Forresters of Torwood were also Provosts of Stirling.
Sir James Forrester, the seventh chief of Clan Forrester, died at the Battle of Pinkie Cleugh in 1547. Sir David Forrester, from the Torwood branch, also died there.
A branch of the Forresters of Garden became the Forresters of Strathendry in Fifeshire. They built Strathendry Castle, a tower house from the 1500s. Both Mary, Queen of Scots and Oliver Cromwell stayed there. It is the only Forrester castle that people still live in today.
The 1600s and Civil War
Sir George Forrester, the tenth chief, was given a special title in 1633. He became a Baronet of Nova Scotia. When he died, no one immediately claimed the title. Later, James and William Baillie, who were married to the first Lord Forrester's daughters, took the Forrester name. They inherited the title. James supported the king during the Civil War. He was fined by Oliver Cromwell, and his lands became very expensive to keep. In 1679, James died in a tragic event. His brother, who was unwell, then inherited the title.
The 1700s and Jacobite Risings
Colonel George Forrester was the fifth Lord Forrester. He was a soldier in the Grenadier and Life Guards. He fought with the Duke of Marlborough against the French. This happened at the Battle of Oudenarde in 1708 and the Battle of Malplaquet in 1709. During the Jacobite rising of 1715, he was hurt at the Battle of Preston (1715). Eventually, the male line of the family ended. The title then passed to the Earls of Verulam through a female heir.
Forresters in France
Two family branches of the Forrester chiefs moved to Normandy, France. They are called Le Forestier du Buisson Sainte-Marguerite and Le Forestier de Foucrainville. They are descendants of Sir Adam Forrester from the 1300s. In 1994, M. Jean Le Forrester was the head of these French branches. The Le Forestier family members fought at the Battle of Ivry in France in 1590.
Clan Chief Today
For a long time, the Lords Forrester were the recognized chiefs of Clan Forrester. The person who could potentially be the chief today is Sir John Duncan Grimston. He is the Baronet, seventh Earl Verulam, and sixteenth Lord Forrester of Corstorphine. He is also a supporter of Clan Forrester. However, to become the official chief, he would need to take the Forrester surname.
Forrester Castles
- Corstorphine Castle: This was the main home of the chiefs. It was west of Edinburgh. It was a large and strong castle with a thick wall, a moat, and corner towers. Today, nothing is left of it except a large doocot, which is a building for pigeons.
- Torwood Castle: This castle is four miles north-west of Falkirk. It was the home of the Forresters of Torwood. It is a 16th-century L-shaped tower house. It is now a ruin.
- Tower of Garden: This tower was three and a half miles west of Kippen, Stirlingshire. The Forresters of Garden lived here. A new, grand house was built in its place in 1824. There are no remains of the old tower.
- Strathendry Castle: This castle is near Cardenden, Fife. It was first owned by the Strathendry family. It passed to the Forresters of Garden and Skipinich in 1496.
Clan Profile
- Motto: Blaw, Hunter, Blaw Thy Horn. This means "Blow, hunter, blow your horn."
- Crest: A hound's head that looks like it was torn off, with a red collar.
- Patron: The Earl of Verulam, who is also the 16th Lord Forrester of Corstorphine.
- Arms: A silver shield with three black bugle horns. They have green decorations and red strings.
- Supporters: On each side, there is a hunting dog (ratchhound) with a red collar. [1]
See also
