| Clan Elphinstone | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | |||
| Motto | Cause Causit ( Scots) | ||
| Profile | |||
| Region | Lowlands | ||
| District | East Lothian | ||
| Chief | |||
 | |||
| The Right Hon. Alexander Elphinstone | |||
| 19th Lord Elphinstone | |||
| Seat | Whitberry House, Tyninghame, East Lothian | ||
| Historic seat | Elphinstone Tower, Stirlingshire [1] | ||
| |||
| |||
Clan Elphinstone is a Lowland Scottish clan. [2]
History
Origins of the clan
The 'de Erth' family took their name from the lands of Airth which lie close to the barony of Plean in Stirlingshire. [2] This family probably erected the first Plean Castle. [2] The de Erth family ended in an heiress, and lands that were acquired by her husband near Tranent near East Lothian were probably named after the heiress's family. [2] The name first appears in about 1235 in East Lothian in a deed by Alanus de Swinton in which a mention is made of the name 'de Elfinstun'. [2] It is likely that de Swinton's son, John, who owned the lands, went on to become John de Elfinstun. [2]
There is a family tradition however, that claims that the family are descended from Flemish knights (or one knight) called Helphenstein. [2] Another theory suggests that the name is derived from Old English Alpins tun ("the farmstead of Alpin"). [2]
14th, 15th and 16th centuries
Sir John de Elfinstun married Margaret of Seton who was a niece of Robert the Bruce. [2] One of John's descendants was William Elfinstun who became rector of Kirkmichael (St. Michael's Church) in Glasgow. [2] William studied Civil and Canon Law in Paris and he eventually became Professor of Law at that university. [2] He also became Bishop of Aberdeen in 1484 and later Lord High Chancellor of Scotland. [2] William later obtained a bull from Pope Alexander VI in 1494 for founding the University of Aberdeen. [2]
A cousin of bishop William was Sir Alexander Elphinstone who was created Lord Elphinstone by James IV of Scotland. [2] Alexander and the king were together killed at the Battle of Flodden in 1513. [3] [2] Alexander's son, another Alexander Elphinstone, was killed at the Battle of Pinkie in 1547. [2]
In 1599 the fourth Lord Elphinstone was appointed a judge of the Supreme Court of Scotland. [2]
18th century and Jacobite risings
A cadet branch of the Clan Elphinstone were the Lords Balmerino. [2] They were staunch Jacobites and the sixth Lord Balmerino was captured after the Battle of Culloden and beheaded in August 1746. [2]
The eleventh Lord Elphinstone was lieutenant governor of Edinburgh Castle. [2]
19th and 20th centuries
One of the eleventh Lord's younger brothers was George Keith Elphinstone who was a distinguished naval officer. [2] He served on ships that protected the British shipping off the east coast of America. [2] He was created Baron Keith which was promoted to the rank of Viscount in 1814. The Viscount's nephew was William George Elphinstone who was a colonel at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. [2] He was later promoted to commander-in-chief of the Bengal army in 1837 and led the disastrous Afghan campaign of 1841. [2]
Clan Chief
The present Chief of Clan Elphinstone is Alexander Lord Elphinstone who succeeded his father in 1994 at the age of 14.
Clan Castles
See also
References
- ^ Elphinstone Tower stravaiging.com. Retrieved 20 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 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 130 - 131.
- ^ Guthrie, William (1767). A General History of Scotland. Vol. 4. Paternoster Row, London: A. Hamilton, Robinson and Roberts. pp. 371-372. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
External links
- https://web.archive.org/web/20070314000845/http://www.myclan.com/clans/Elphinstone_33/default.php
- http://www.electricscotland.com/webclans/dtog/elphinstone2.htm
| Clan Elphinstone | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
| |||
| Motto | Cause Causit ( Scots) | ||
| Profile | |||
| Region | Lowlands | ||
| District | East Lothian | ||
| Chief | |||
|
| |||
| The Right Hon. Alexander Elphinstone | |||
| 19th Lord Elphinstone | |||
| Seat | Whitberry House, Tyninghame, East Lothian | ||
| Historic seat | Elphinstone Tower, Stirlingshire [1] | ||
| |||
| |||
Clan Elphinstone is a Lowland Scottish clan. [2]
History
Origins of the clan
The 'de Erth' family took their name from the lands of Airth which lie close to the barony of Plean in Stirlingshire. [2] This family probably erected the first Plean Castle. [2] The de Erth family ended in an heiress, and lands that were acquired by her husband near Tranent near East Lothian were probably named after the heiress's family. [2] The name first appears in about 1235 in East Lothian in a deed by Alanus de Swinton in which a mention is made of the name 'de Elfinstun'. [2] It is likely that de Swinton's son, John, who owned the lands, went on to become John de Elfinstun. [2]
There is a family tradition however, that claims that the family are descended from Flemish knights (or one knight) called Helphenstein. [2] Another theory suggests that the name is derived from Old English Alpins tun ("the farmstead of Alpin"). [2]
14th, 15th and 16th centuries
Sir John de Elfinstun married Margaret of Seton who was a niece of Robert the Bruce. [2] One of John's descendants was William Elfinstun who became rector of Kirkmichael (St. Michael's Church) in Glasgow. [2] William studied Civil and Canon Law in Paris and he eventually became Professor of Law at that university. [2] He also became Bishop of Aberdeen in 1484 and later Lord High Chancellor of Scotland. [2] William later obtained a bull from Pope Alexander VI in 1494 for founding the University of Aberdeen. [2]
A cousin of bishop William was Sir Alexander Elphinstone who was created Lord Elphinstone by James IV of Scotland. [2] Alexander and the king were together killed at the Battle of Flodden in 1513. [3] [2] Alexander's son, another Alexander Elphinstone, was killed at the Battle of Pinkie in 1547. [2]
In 1599 the fourth Lord Elphinstone was appointed a judge of the Supreme Court of Scotland. [2]
18th century and Jacobite risings
A cadet branch of the Clan Elphinstone were the Lords Balmerino. [2] They were staunch Jacobites and the sixth Lord Balmerino was captured after the Battle of Culloden and beheaded in August 1746. [2]
The eleventh Lord Elphinstone was lieutenant governor of Edinburgh Castle. [2]
19th and 20th centuries
One of the eleventh Lord's younger brothers was George Keith Elphinstone who was a distinguished naval officer. [2] He served on ships that protected the British shipping off the east coast of America. [2] He was created Baron Keith which was promoted to the rank of Viscount in 1814. The Viscount's nephew was William George Elphinstone who was a colonel at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. [2] He was later promoted to commander-in-chief of the Bengal army in 1837 and led the disastrous Afghan campaign of 1841. [2]
Clan Chief
The present Chief of Clan Elphinstone is Alexander Lord Elphinstone who succeeded his father in 1994 at the age of 14.
Clan Castles
See also
References
- ^ Elphinstone Tower stravaiging.com. Retrieved 20 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 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 130 - 131.
- ^ Guthrie, William (1767). A General History of Scotland. Vol. 4. Paternoster Row, London: A. Hamilton, Robinson and Roberts. pp. 371-372. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
External links
- https://web.archive.org/web/20070314000845/http://www.myclan.com/clans/Elphinstone_33/default.php
- http://www.electricscotland.com/webclans/dtog/elphinstone2.htm