Clan Gray is a Scottish clan from Perthshire in the Scottish Lowlands.
History
Coat of Arms
The Gray coat of arms are 'Gules. A lion rampant within a bordure engrailed argent Crest. An anchor in pale or Suppartors. Two lions guardant gules. Motto : Anchor fast anchor.Fanny B. Hunter. "Cocke, Gray, Bowie, Robb, &c. (Concluded)." The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography 11, no. 2 (1903): 209–10 http://www.jstor.org/stable/4242604.Chambers' Edinburgh Journal 1845-04-05: Vol 3 Iss 66 p218. Found at https://archive.org/details/sim_chambers-edinburgh-journal_1845-04-05_3_66/page/218/mode/2up?q=Anchor+FastThe Badge of folly; or, a humorous illustration of the mottos, of the nobility, of England, Scotland, and Ireland: with an English translation of each, and an extensive commentary. Designed and executed, by that whimsical delineator, By Orator Reynard, 1782 p 5 Found at https://archive.org/details/bim_eighteenth-century_the-badge-of-folly-or-_reynard-orator_1782/page/n5/mode/2up?q=Anchor+Fast The clan can also be regarded as a sept of the larger Clan Sutherland.The Clans, Septs, and Regiments of the Scottish Highlands by Adam, Frank Adam p443, Found at https://archive.org/details/clansseptsregime01adam/page/442/mode/2up?q=Gray
Origins of the Clan The surname Gray is French in origin, being first borne by Fulbert, chamberlain of Robert I, Duke of Normandy. From this service Fulbert was granted the castle and the lands of Croy/Gray, Haute-Saône in Picardy which is where Fulbert assumed the surname Gray. Fulbert had two children: a son, John, and a daughter, Arlotta/Herleva who was the mother of William the Conqueror.Elisabeth M. C. van Houts. "The Origins of Herleva, Mother of William the Conqueror." The English Historical Review 101, no. 399 (1986): 399–404. http://www.jstor.org/stable/572148. p399 Fulbert then travelled to England with William and obtained 'several lordships' and was the progenitor of a number of families who used the surname Gray or Grey. A number of these families achieved high rank with some obtaining the rank of 'Duke of Suffolk, Duke of Norfolk, Earl of Stamford,Earl of Tankerville, Barons of Codnor, Rutliyn, Wilton, Rollestone, Wark (Baron Grey of Werke) and Chillingham, Northumberland'.p370-371
Baron Grey of Chillingham gave the lands of Broxmouth (Broxburn, East Lothian) in the Scottish county of Roxburghshire to one of his younger sons in the reign of William the Lion King of Scotland. The son Andrew added to the family's possessions and obtained the lands of Browfield near Roxburgh in 1214.Ancient capital of Scotland: the story of Perth from the invasion ..., Volume 1 By Samuel Cowan, p. 186, (New York, 1904) The Greys of Broxmouth changed their name to the Scottish 'de Gray' with John de Gray being made a steward to the Earls of March in the reign of Alexander III of Scotland. A subsequent relation of John de Gray, Sir Hugh inherited Broxmouth and had three sons, Sir Hugh de Gray, Henry de Gray, and John de Gray. Sir Hugh and Henry swore fealty to Edward I of England in 1296, signing the Ragman Rolls. Sir High de Gray died around 1300 and had a son, Sir Andrew de Gray.
Lineage Sir Andrew Gray
Sir Andrew supported and followed Robert the Bruce in the Wars of Scottish Independence and in 1307 joined Sir James Douglas, 'the Black Douglas' and Sir Alexander Fraser of Touchfraser and Cowie in commanding a detachment against the English supporting Lord of Lorne. Sir Andrew de Gray in 1312 was one of the first to scale the walls of Edinburgh Castle and take the stronghold for Robert the Bruce.Robert the Bruce, King of Scots by Ronald McNair Scott, 1989, p141, found at = https://archive.org/details/robertbrucekingo00scot/page/140/mode/2upUrquhart, Edward A. Castle Huntly : Its Development and History / Edward A. Urquhart. Dundee: Abertay Historical Society, 1956, p13 For his loyalty Sir Andrew was given the barony of longforgan in Perthshire which was taken from Edmund de Hastings after he fell fighting for the English in the Battle of Bannockburn.The parish of Longforgan; a sketch of its church and people by Adam Philip 1895 p14, Found at = https://archive.org/details/parishoflongforg00philiala/page/14/mode/2up?q=Sir+Andrew+Gray It is also to be remembered that Edmund de Hastings was a close relation of John de Hastings who has previously submitted a claim to the Kingdom of Scotland to Edward I alongside Robert the Bruce's claim and Edward Balliol claim.The parish of Longforgan; a sketch of its church and people by Adam Philip 1895 p78, Found at = https://archive.org/details/parishoflongforg00philiala/page/14/mode/2up?q=Sir+Andrew+Gray Sir Andrew later married Ada Gifford daughter of Thomas Lord Yester and had two sons, Sir David and Thomas.
Sir David de Gray, 'fourth baron of Broxmouth and second of Longforgan' died between 1354 and 1357 and was succeeded by his son Sir John de Gray. Sir John was one of twenty men sent as hostages in 1354 to be a surety for David I of Scotland ransom after his capture by the English. For his service Sir John was appointed in 1357 to Clerk register for King David and remained in position under the reign of Robert II of Scotland retaining the office for 'the rest of his life'.Murray, Athol L. "The Lord Clerk Register." The Scottish Historical Review 53, no. 156 (1974): 124–56. http://www.jstor.org/stable/25529087 p126 Sir John was succeeded on his death by his son Sir Patrick who due to his good relationship with King Robert II of Scotland added considerably to his lands in Perthshire. In 1371 Andrew paid homage to Robert II at Scone, Scotland.The Records of the Parliaments of Scotland to 1707, K.M. Brown et al eds (St Andrews, 2007–2023)27 March 1371,Non-parliamentary record: account of homage and fealty given in parliament A1371/2. Date accessed: 27 August 2023, In 1385 it is recorded that Sir Andrew Gray 'Lord of the Chefe Barony of Longforganade' (Longforgan) with many nobles present settled a land dispute on top of a 'Moot Hill' Moot hill called the Hill of Longforgan.Old Glasgow : the place and the people from the Roman occupation to the eighteenth century by Andrew Macgeorge, 1810, p61-62 Found at = Old Glasgow : the place and the people from the Roman occupation to the eighteenth century : Macgeorge, Andrew, 1810-1891 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive In 1413 Sir Patrick entered into a manrent (contract) with the Earl of Crawfordfor the town of Elith which has since been annexed by the town of Alyth. Sir John had four sons and three daughters. Sir Andrew his eldest met James I of Scotland in Durham, England in 1423 to assist in the negotiations for the King's release.p370
Andrew 1st Lord Gray
Andrew was created 1st Lord of Fowlis Fowlis Castle in 1445 by the King James II of Scotland. He was the son of Sir Andrew Gray of Broxmouth and inherited the lands of Fowlis from his mother Janet Mortimer, daughter of Sir Roger Mortimer of Fowlis in the county of Angus, Scotland, the union of his parents did much to enhance the wealth and status of the Grays in Scotland. Lord Gray of Fowlis, was one of the hostages for King James I of Scotland, in his father's lifetime, when his annual revenue was estimated at six hundred Merks (coin). He was released in 1427 and was one of the knights who accompanied Princess Margaret of Scotland to France in 1436 for her marriage to the French Dauphin. Andrew was created an ambassador to England in 1449. He later obtained in 1452 the royal license from King James to build a castle on his lands whereby Lord Andrew built Castle HuntlyCastle Huntly on his estates in Longforgan.Elwell-Sutton, L. P. The Scottish Historical Review 37, no. 123 (1958): 83–85. http://www.jstor.org/stable/25526469. Longforgan name derives from the old British language 'Lon-for-gron' which translates to 'The flat land above the marsh'.Urquhart, Edward A. Castle Huntly : Its Development and History / Edward A. Urquhart. Dundee: Abertay Historical Society, 1956, p5. Huntly castle stands on a volcanic outcrop which rises about 50 feet above the level of the Carse which gives the castle a 'commanding position' and an 'uninterrupted view over miles of the surrounding country'.Urquhart, Edward A. Castle Huntly : Its Development and History / Edward A. Urquhart. Dundee: Abertay Historical Society, 1956, p6.
Lord Gray married Elizabeth Wemyss the eldest daughter of Sir John John Wemyss (landowner) in Fife. One of Andrew's daughter married Sir William Hay of Errol.Urquhart, Edward A. Castle Huntly : Its Development and History / Edward A. Urquhart. Dundee: Abertay Historical Society, 1956, p14 In 1452 Lord Andrew made a long pilgrimage to the Holy site of Canterbury Cathedral.
Between 1465 and 1466 Lord Gray was further granted the lands of cluney/clunieby the King. In 1467 Andrew 1st Lord Gray alongside the Bishop of Brechin, the abbot of St. Cross, the abbot of Lundor, the lord of Lindissay, the lord of Borthwic represented the Commissioners of the Burghs of their local communities and paid the crown in Edinburgh money collected from the burghs and their estates.Acts of the Lords of Council in civil causes, Vol. II [Introduction] : A.D. 1496-1501, with some Acta Auditorum et Dominoum Concilii A.D. 1469-1483 / edited by George Neilson and Henry Paton p16 Lord Andrew 1st Lord Gray died in around 1470. Andrew first Lord Gray appears as a justiciar in Aberdeen in 1450 as well as holding the title of 'master of the kings household', it is also recorded that Andrew was involved in the assassination of the eighth Earl of Douglas in 1452. In 1451 Lord Gray was present and witnessed King James's granting of the lands of wigtown to William Earl of Douglas and Avondale and Lord of Galloway.The Records of the Parliaments of Scotland to 1707, K.M. Brown et al eds (St Andrews, 2007–2023), 26 October 1451, Charter: to William earl of Douglas, of the earldom of Wigtown (abstract) 1451/10/20. Date accessed: 27 August 2023 In 1472 it was decreed that Andrew Gray would pay 'James of Shaw of Sauchie' 'five bolls of wheat, five bolls of oats and two and a half merks for silver' for the 'mails and ferms of the lands of Abernyte'.1472 Judicial proceedings: act of the lords auditors of causes and complaints, The Records of the Parliaments of Scotland to 1707, K.M. Brown et al eds (St Andrews, 2007–2023), 1472/16. Date accessed: 1 September 2023
Andrew is probably responsible for the painting of the 'rood screen Crucifixion' located at Fowlis Easter Church. The Lord was patron of the church after it was rebuilt in 1453 due to the proximity of the church to Andrew's estates at Fowlis Castle. In 1497 Dean James Gray who was a part of the Gray clan presented a panel painting to King James IV of Scotland who visited Fowlis Easter.Bath, Michael. "Chapter 1 A Jester at the Crucifixion? The Fool at Fowlis". In Emblems in Scotland, (Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill, 2018) doi: https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004364066_002 p1-2 Inside of the church there is a stained glass window in the East Wall which has a representation of the Gray clans coat of arms directly in the centre with their motto 'Anchor Fast Anchor' clearly visible. Due to Lord Gray's murder of the Earl of Douglas in 1450 the church required penance which took the form of 'endowing' the church of Fowlis Easter which today stands as one of the 'finest pre-Reformation churches in the country'.The Sidlaw Hills by Dorward, David (David Philip), 2004, p21, found at https://archive.org/details/sidlawhills0000dorw/page/20/mode/2up
Andrew 2nd Lord Gray