| Clan Scott | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Scotach [1] | |||
 | |||
| Motto | Amo (I love) [1] | ||
| War cry | 'a Bellendaine! ("To Bellendaine!") Also, "The Scotts are out!" | ||
| Profile | |||
| Region | Scottish Borders [1] | ||
| Plant badge | Blaeberry [1] | ||
| Chief | |||
 | |||
| Richard Walter John Montagu Douglas Scott [2] | |||
| The 10th Duke of Buccleuch and the 12th Duke of Queensberry | |||
| Seat | Bowhill House | ||
| Historic seat | Dalkeith Palace | ||
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Clan Scott is a Scottish clan and is recognised as such by the Lord Lyon King of Arms. [3] Historically the clan was based in the Scottish Borders.
The Latin word Scotti was originally used to describe the Celts of Ireland. [3] However the historian George Fraser Black notes in his Surnames of Scotland that the earliest certain record of the name was that of Uchtred 'Filius Scott', in a charter from around 1120. [3]
In 1195 Henricus le Scotte witnessed a charter by David, Earl of Strathearn. [3] At the beginning of the thirteenth century a Master Isaac Scotus witnessed charters by the Bishop of St Andrews. [3]
Michael Scott "The Wizard" (1175 – c.1232) was a real-life scholar and philosopher, whom Walter Scott described in The Lay of the Last Minstrel as "addicted to the abstruse studies of judicial astrology, alchemy, physiognomy, and chiromancy. Hence he passed among his contemporaries for a skilful magician". [4]
Four generations after Uchtred, Sir Richard Scott married the heiress of Murthockstone and in doing so acquired her estates. [3] Sir Richard was appointed as the ranger of Ettrick Forest and this brought to him the additional lands of Rankilburn. [3] The new laird built his residence at Buccleuch and the estates were generally known by this name. [3]
Sir Richard's son, Sir Michael Scott the second Laird of Buccleuch was a staunch supporter of Robert the Bruce during the Wars of Scottish Independence. [3] Michael distinguished himself at the Battle of Halidon Hill in 1333, being one of the few that escaped the carnage. [3] However he was later killed at the Battle of Durham in 1346. [3] Michael left two sons: Robert Scott, the third laird and John Scott who founded the important cadet branch of the clan, the Scotts of Synton from whom the Lords Polwarth descend. [3] Robert Scott died in about 1389, probably from wounds received at the Battle of Otterburn. [3]
Robert Scott, fifth of Buccleuch succeeded to the family estates in 1402 after his father, Walter, was killed in battle. [3] In 1420 he acquired half of the lands of Branxholme, consolidating the family estates. [3] He was active in supporting the Crown in the struggle to suppress the power of the Clan Douglas. [3] When the king's cause prevailed Scott was rewarded with tracts of Douglas land. [3] In 1463 Branxholme became a free barony on the annual payment of a red rose to the Crown on the feast day of St John the Baptist. [3]
The Scotts had become one of the most powerful of all the Border clans by the end of the fifteenth century and the chief could call upon a thousand spears to support him. [3] Like most of the Border Reiver clans the Scotts quarrelled with their neighbours, in particular the Clan Kerr. [3] The feud began on 25 July 1526 when Sir Walter Scott of Buccleuch launched an attack (the Battle of Melrose) to rescue the young James V of Scotland who was being held by the Douglas Earl of Angus at Darnick just west of Melrose, and in the ensuing fight Kerr of Cessford was killed. [3] Sir Walter Scott was also wounded in the action. [3] Scott later fought against the English at the Battle of Pinkie Cleugh and four years later was appointed warden of Liddesdale and the Middle Marches. [3] The Kerrs however were biding their time and in 1552 they set upon Sir Walter Scott on Edinburgh High Street and killed him. [3] The feud came to an end when Sir Thomas Kerr of Ferniehirst married Janet Scott who was the sister of the tenth Laird of Buccleuch. [3]
In 1565 a deadly feud arose between the Clan Scott and their neighbours the Clan Eliott. [5] Scott of Buccleuch executed four Eliotts for the minor crime of cattle rustling. [5] In response three hundred Eliotts rode to avenge the fate of their kinsmen and during the battle losses on both sides were heavy but eventually the two clans came to terms with each other. [5]
The tenth Laird of Buccleuch was a staunch supporter of Mary, Queen of Scots. [3] His son, another Walter Scott went on to become a daring military leader who was known as "Bold Buccleuch". [3] In 1596 he rescued his vassal, William Armstrong, who was known as "Kinmont Willy", from the Fortress of Carlisle which had been thought to be impregnable. [3]
James VI of Scotland's accession to the English throne was followed by a royal policy to pacify the Borders. [3] Walter Scott, 1st Lord Scott of Buccleuch therefore sought adventure fighting on the Continent for the Prince of Orange in the Netherlands. [3] His son was Walter Scott, 2nd Lord Scott of Buccleuch who commanded a regiment for the States of Holland against the Spanish. [3] In 1619 he was advanced to the rank of Earl of Buccleuch. [3]
During the Scottish Civil War, Francis Scott, 2nd Earl of Buccleuch supported the National Covenant and opposed Charles I of England's religious policies. [3] Scott led his cavalry against the royalist, James Graham, 1st Marquis of Montrose at the Battle of Philiphaugh. [3]
Francis Scott, 2nd Earl of Buccleuch died in 1651 and was succeeded by his four-year-old daughter, Mary Scott, 3rd Countess of Buccleuch. [3] The General Assembly for the Church of Scotland allowed Mary to be married at the age of just eleven but she died aged just fourteen. [3] She was succeeded by her sister, Ann Scott, who was considered one of the greatest heiresses in the kingdom. [3] Charles II of England arranged for Anne Scott to marry his illegitimate son, James, Duke of Monmouth who as a result of the marriage assumed the surname Scott. [3] On the day of their marriage the couple were created Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch. [3] Monmouth later rose up in rebellion against the Crown and as a result he was executed in 1685 and his titles were forfeited. [3] However, as Anne Scott had been specifically created Duchess of Buccleuch her titles were unaffected. [3] She was succeeded by her grandson, Francis Scott, 2nd Duke of Buccleuch. [3]
Several Scotts fought for the government during the Jacobite rising of 1745. Captain John Scott commanded two companies of Royal Scots was defeated and taken prisoner at the Highbridge Skirmish in August 1745. [6] During the action Scott had lost a sergeant and up to six men killed. [6] Scott himself was wounded but the Jacobite MacDonald of Keppoch arranged for his wound to be dressed at Cameron of Lochiel's Achnacarry Castle. [6]
Captain Caroline Frederick Scott of Guise's Regiment commanded the successful defence of Fort William in March 1746. [7] He gained a reputation for brutality and has been described as one of the most notorious 'Redcoats' of the Rebellion. [8] One story alleges three Highlanders who surrendered to him were drowned in a mill flume at Lochoy, although there is no independent confirmation of this. [9]
The Duke of Buccleuch today is one of the largest private landowners in the United Kingdom, and the internationally famous art collection known as the Duke of Buccleuch collection is held at the family's great houses of Drumlanrig, Bowhill, and Boughton. [3]
Duke of Buccleuch, formerly also spelt Duke of Buccleugh, is a title in the Peerage of Scotland created twice on 20 April 1663, first for James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth, and second suo jure for his wife Anne Scott, 4th Countess of Buccleuch. Monmouth, the eldest illegitimate son of King Charles II, was attainted after rebelling against his uncle King James II and VII, but his wife's title was unaffected and passed on to their descendants, who have successively borne the surnames Scott, Montagu-Scott, Montagu Douglas Scott and Scott again. In 1810, the 3rd Duke of Buccleuch inherited the Dukedom of Queensberry, also in the Peerage of Scotland, thus separating that title from the Marquessate of Queensberry.
The title Duke of Queensberry was created in the Peerage of Scotland on 3 February 1684 along with the subsidiary title Marquess of Dumfriesshire for the 1st Marquess of Queensberry. The Dukedom was held along with the Marquessate of Queensberry until the death of the 4th Duke in 1810, when the Marquessate was inherited by Sir Charles Douglas of Kelhead, 5th Baronet, while the Dukedom was inherited by the 3rd Duke of Buccleuch. Since then the title of Duke of Queensberry has been held by the Dukes of Buccleuch.
Clan Kerr is a Scottish clan whose origins lie in the Scottish Borders. During the Middle Ages, it was one of the prominent border reiver clans along the present-day Anglo-Scottish border and played an important role in the history of the Border country of Scotland.
Walter Francis Montagu Douglas Scott, 5th Duke of Buccleuch, 7th Duke of Queensberry,, styled Lord Eskdail between 1808 and 1812 and Earl of Dalkeith between 1812 and 1819, was a prominent Scottish nobleman, landowner and politician. He was Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal from 1842 to 1846 and Lord President of the Council.
Walter Francis John Montagu Douglas Scott, 9th Duke of Buccleuch and 11th Duke of Queensberry, was a Scottish peer, politician and landowner. He served in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in the Second World War, and represented Edinburgh North in the House of Commons for 13 years.
Walter Scott, 5th of Buccleuch, 1st Lord Scott of Buccleuch was a Scottish nobleman and famous border reiver, known as the "Bold Buccleuch" and leader of Kinmont Willie's Raid. Scott was the son of Sir Walter Scott, 4th of Buccleuch and Margaret Douglas.
This is a list of people, who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Selkirkshire. The office was replaced by the Lord Lieutenant of Roxburgh, Ettrick and Lauderdale in 1975.
Clan Douglas is an ancient clan or noble house from the Scottish Lowlands.
Richard Walter John Montagu Douglas Scott, 10th Duke of Buccleuch and 12th Duke of Queensberry,, styled as Lord Eskdaill until 1973 and as Earl of Dalkeith from 1973 until 2007, is a Scottish landholder and peer. He is the Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry, as well as Chief of Clan Scott. He is the heir of James, Duke of Monmouth, the eldest illegitimate son of Charles II and his mistress, Lucy Walter, and more remotely in a direct male line from Alan of Dol, who came to Britain in 1066 with William the Conqueror.
Branxholme Castle is a five-storey tower at Branxholme, about 3 miles south-west of Hawick in the Borders region of Scotland.
Newark Tower is a large, ruined tower house standing in the grounds of Bowhill House, in the valley of the Yarrow Water three miles west of Selkirk in the Scottish Borders. In addition to the keep, sections of a gatehouse and wall survive. It has been designated a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland.
Branxholme is a hamlet in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, overlooking the River Teviot, three miles southwest of Hawick, on the A7 road to Langholm.
John Charles Montagu Douglas Scott, 7th Duke of Buccleuch and 9th Duke of Queensberry,, styled The Honourable John Montagu Douglas Scott until 1884, Lord John Montagu Douglas Scott between 1884 and 1886 and Earl of Dalkeith until 1914 was a British Member of Parliament and peer.
Sir Walter Scott, 1st of Branxholme, 3rd of Buccleuch, known as "Wicked Wat", was a nobleman of the Scottish Borders and the chief of Clan Scott who briefly served as Warden of the Middle March He was an "inveterate English hater" active in the wars known as The Rough Wooing and a noted Border reiver. He was killed on Edinburgh High Street in a feud with Clan Kerr in 1552. His great-grandson was Sir Walter Scott, 1st Lord Scott of Buccleuch, the "Bold Buccleuch" (1565–1611), a border reiver famed for his role in the rescue of Kinmont Willie Armstrong.
Bowhill House is a historic house near Bowhill at Selkirk in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland. It is a member of the Historic Houses Association, and is one of the homes of the Duke of Buccleuch. The house is protected as a Category A listed building, and the grounds are listed on the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland.
The Battle of Dryfe Sands was a Scottish clan battle that took place on 6 December 1593, near Lockerbie, Scotland. It was fought between the Clan Maxwell and Clan Johnstone after a hundred years of feuding between them. The Johnstones won a decisive victory over the Maxwells.
The Battle of Melrose was a Scottish clan battle that took place on 25 July 1526. Walter Scott of Branxholme and Buccleuch attempted to rescue the young James V of Scotland from the powerful Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus.
Eildon Hall, near St Boswells, Roxburghshire, is one of the houses belonging to the Dukes of Buccleuch and Queensbury. It is located at the foot of Eildon Hill, just south of the town of Melrose in the Scottish Borders. Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester is very descriptive of Eildon Hall, her childhood home, in her memoirs. She describes it as a "Georgian house with Victorian additions, made from the local coral pink sandstone," and "standing 600 feet above sea level." She also describes the view from the house as a "wonderful view of the valley below stretching away to the Cheviots thirty miles distant."
Elizabeth Marion Frances Montagu Douglas Scott, Duchess of Buccleuch and Queensberry, styled Countess of Dalkeith between 1981 and 2007, was a Scottish peeress and philanthropist.
Another example of the dropping of hyphens is that of the Duke of Buccleuch who was recognised in 1975 as Chief of the Name and Arms of Scott after dropping the hyphens in the surname Montagu-Douglas-Scott (Lyon Register, vol. 60, fol. 7–8).