Clan Ramsay
| Clan Ramsay | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ramsaidh Seat Brechin Castle | | ||
| Historic seat | Dalhousie Castle | ||
| |||
| |||
Clan Ramsay is a Lowland Scottish clan.[2][3]
History
Origins of the clan
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In the eleventh century a ram in the sea is believed to have been an emblem on the seal of an abbey in Huntingdon.
13th century and branches of the clan
By the 13th century there were five major branches of the Clan Ramsay: the Ramsays of Dalhousie, the Ramsays of Auchterhouse, the Ramsays of Banff, the Ramsay of Forfar and the Ramsays of Clatto.[2] In 1255, during the minority of Alexander III of Scotland, William de Ramsay of Dalhousie was a member of the king's council.[2]
Wars of Scottish Independence
During the Wars of Scottish Independence, William Ramsay appears on the Ragman Rolls of 1296, swearing fealty to Edward I of England.[2] However Ramsay later declared for Robert the Bruce and was one of the signatories on the Declaration of Arbroath.[2] Ramsay had two sons, William and Alexander.[2] The latter was a renowned knight and in 1342 was made sheriff of Teviotdale.[2] However this office was claimed by the Douglases who became jealous and William Douglas, Lord of Liddesdale captured Alexander Ramsay with a strong force of men, imprisoning him in Hermitage Castle, where he was starved to death.[2] Alexander's brother, William Ramsay, was captured by the English at the Battle of Neville's Cross but was not killed by them as he lived to tell the tale.[2]
In 1400 another Sir Alexander Ramsay held out in Dalhousie Castle against a siege by the English, who were forced to retreat due to Ramsay's resolute resistance.[2]
16th century and Anglo-Scottish Wars
In 1513 during the
One of Nicolas's grandsons was John Ramsay who in 1600 killed both the Ruthven, Earl of Gowrie and his brother who were allegedly attempting to kidnap the king.[2] This became known as the Gowrie Conspiracy.[2] For saving the king, John Ramsay was created Earl of Holderness.[2]
17th century and Civil War
In 1618, the Earl of Holderness's brother, George Ramsay, was created Lord Ramsay.
In 1666 Sir Gilbert Ramsay of Bamff, descended from Neis de Ramsay, physician to Alexander II of Scotland around 1232, was created a Baronet of Nova Scotia.[2]
18th and 19th centuries
The Ramsays served in all the great campaigns of the 18th and 19th centuries on the continent, in Canada, and in
Other branches of the family have also produced persons of distinction and rank.
Sir John Ramsay of Balmain was created Lord Bothwell in 1485.[2] However he forfeited that title for treason in 1488 and it was later granted to the Clan Hepburn.[2] The Ramsays of Balmain restored their fortunes by being created [baronet]s, first in 1625 and again in 1806.[2]
Other achievements
Fighting was not the only talent of this family. Andrew Ramsay, better known as the Chevalier de Ramsay, left Scotland for France in 1708. His academic excellence was soon recognized, and he became mentor to the Prince de Turenne. The King of France appointed him a Knight of the Order of Saint Lazarus, and for a time he was tutor to both the Jacobite princes, Charles Edward Stuart and Henry Benedict Stuart. Allan Ramsay, the great 18th century poet, and his son, the distinguished portrait painter, were descended from the Clan Lairds of Cockpen, cadets of the chiefly house. Raymond Ramsay is a well-known 20th-century historian. Raymond was born in Manitoba and he is author of some books and articles about great Norman explorers of America. Raymond Ramsay wrote about Vinland and Norumbega etc. In 1972, Dalhousie Castle was converted to a hotel, and the clan seat became Brechin Castle in Angus.
One of the world's most successful chefs, Gordon Ramsay, belongs to the clan.
Castles
- Brechin Castle is the current seat of the Earl of Dalhousie, chief of Clan Ramsay.
- Dalhousie Castle was the previous seat of the Earls of Dalhousie.
Clan profile
Chief
The current
Symbols
Clan members may show their allegiance to their clan by wearing a
The most popular of the tartans attributed to the surname Ramsay is derived from one titled Ramsey in the Vestiarium Scoticum published in 1842. Though the Vestiarium has been proven to be a Victorian era hoax many of today's clan tartans are derived from it. The Vestiarium provides both an illustrative plate, and a written description of the sett, however the plate and description contradict each other.
See also
- Ramsay (surname) – famous Ramsays
- Brechin Castle
- Dalhousie Castle
- Bamff House
- Scottish clan
References
- ^ a b c Clan Ramsay Profile scotclans.com. Retrieved 7 September 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq Way, George and Squire, Romily. Collins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia. (Foreword by The Rt Hon. The Earl of Elgin KT, Convenor, The Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs). Published in 1994. Pages 298 – 299.
- ^ "Clan Ramsay". Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs. Archived from the original on 11 March 2012. Retrieved 24 November 2010.
- ^ Guthrie, William (1767). A General History of Scotland. Vol. 4. Paternoster Row, London: A. Hamilton, Robinson and Roberts. pp. 371-372. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
External links
- www.clanramsay.org Clan Ramsay International
- Bamff
- Finland Ramsays Archived 1 December 2017 at the Wayback Machine
- Clan Gathering 2009, Edinburgh
