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MOTTO
MY WISHES ARE
ABOVE THE STARS |
CLAN TARTAN
RATTRAY TARTAN |
The name Rattray derives from the Barony of Rattray in Perthshire. It is said that the land was acquired from Malcolm Canmore in the 11th century. Part of the estate includes a ruined Pictish fort which lies on a serpent shaped feature and this may explain why two serpents support the coat of arms. The earliest records mention the first laird, Alan who was recorded as witness on charters of Alexander II.
Sir Silvester Rattray of Rattray, who was ambassador to England in 1463, was succeeded by his son, John. John was knighted by James IV in 1488 but was killed at Flodden in 1513. His eldest son was already dead so the estate passed to his second son Patrick. Patrick was driven from the clan estate in 1516 by John Stewart, Earl of Atholl. Patrick then began the construction of Craighall Castle a grand building perched on a 200 feet rock above the River Ericht, but even this could not protect him from Atholl and he was murdered in 1533.
Rattray land seized by the Earls of Atholl, was eventually claimed back for the clan by Patrick Rattray, who united he barony of Kinballoch with Rattray and their other associated parishes into one free barony of Craighall-Rattray
Patrick’s son, John, was physician to Bonnie Prince Charlie. He was with him throughout the Forty-five and was captured after the Battle of Culloden, but was fortunately reprieved. The twenty-second and twenty-third Lairds died without issue, and the estates passed to a cousin, James Clerk Rattray, sheriff depute of Edinburgh. He was a good friend of Sir Walter Scott who modelled “Tully-Veolan” the Baron of Bradwardine’s castle in “Waverley” on Craighall.
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Clan Crest © Art Pewter Silver Ltd, East Kilbride, Scotland |
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