A History of Clan Grant and Grantown-on-Spey

Grantown-on-Spey as we know it is a relatively new town the plans for which where laid down around 1765 by Sir James Grant, building mills and factories, Hospital and Orphanage. At a time when The Clan Grant was established as one of the foremost Highland Clans.

There has been much debate about the origins of the Clan over the years, but the recent discovery of the Cromdal Texts has revealed the origins in fascinating detail.

The Viking leader Earl Haakon of Trondelag, Lord High Protector of Norway, referred by some even today as King Haakon II, earned the name Haakon the Great after his legendary exploits and military strategy. He ruled Norway between 970 and 995, and it is claimed he acquired the motto 'Stand Fast' after having defended himself in an ambush - tradition has it he was armed with a tree.

His son, Hemming, was converted to Christianity and with his wife Tora, was exiled from Norway and settled in Dub Linh, the Viking settlement we know today as Dublin. Hemming and Tora had six children, two daughters and four sons. The daughters, Gurrie and Astred, married and returned to Norway, where they built two churches 'within a fathom of each other' at Grandtsogn (Grant's Parish) near Christiana, now Oslo. The four sons went to Scotland in the early part of the eleventh century, and Allan, alias Andlaw, was the progenitor of the Clan. His descendant Allan became Sheriff of Inverness, but there is then a gap in known history until the first Grant mentioned in official Scottish records - Gregor, who became Sheriff of Inverness in 1214. He had two sons, Lawrence and Robert.

In the 13th century, the powerful clan which spread over Strathspey and the Grampian mountains into Aberdeenshire.

Sir Lawrence, together with his brother Robert, were signatories to an agreement dated in September 1258 between the Bishop of Moray and John Bisset of Lovat. The late thirteenth century was therefore an enormously important time, as Grants expanded their lands and influence throughout the region and formed alliances with powerful and wealthy families.
Under Sir Ian, the son of Lawrence, the Grants supported William Wallace and were eventually to pay dearly. Many were taken prisoner at the Battle of Dunbar in 1296, and their fate remains unknown to this day. The hated King Edward forced the submission of many Scottish Barons, whose names were written on four large rolls of parchment - the infamous 'Ragman Rolls'. Rudolph de Grant was dismissed, but his brother John was carried to London, and only released when he undertook to serve King Edward in France, with John Comyn acting as guarantor.

Thus when Robert the Bruce became King in 1306, the Grants numbered amongst his supporters and flourished in Strathspey - referred to even then as 'the Country of the Grants'. They were soon to acquire the power and position of Highland Chiefs, founding in turn the septs of Allan, through Sir Allan Grant of Auchernick, and Thomas, through his brother. The Gilroy, MacGilroy, Pratt and Suttie families are regarded as septs (sub-branches) of Grant.
From then on, the story of the Grants is one of expansion, and they soon became one of the most powerful and influential Scottish families, founding estates as far apart as Perthshire and Banffshire, and many proud families and Clans whose roots are traceable directly to the Grants.

When the Civil War began, the Grants, led by James, the sixteenth Chief, rallied to the Royalist cause and raised Charles' standard in the Highlands. So from treachery to a valiant cause - back to yet another dark chapter in the Clan's history - the slaughter of the Farquharsons. The Farquharsons killed a Gordon on Deeside, and Huntly raised his clan, and sought the support of the the Laird of Grant. They slaughtered the Farquharsons, almost wiping the Clan from the face of the earth altogether. Some time later, so the story goes, the Laird was dining with Huntly, who offered to show his guest a rare spectacle. They went to a balcony, and saw a mob of starving children fighting over scraps of food in the yard below.
They were the children of the Farquharsons, captured in the previous year. The Laird could not bear this sight, and persuaded Huntly to place them in his care. Thus the children were taken to Speyside and raised amongst the Grants. To this day, the Farquharsons are known unkindly as 'The Children of the Trough'.

The Grants of Freuchie later supported William of Orange and fought against the Jacobites at the Haughs of Cromdale, joining Colonel Livingstone with a force of 600 men - fighting against the Grants of Glenmoriston who supported the Jacobite cause and who had fought at Killiecrankie. In 1745 there were 800 Freuchie Clansmen-at-arms on the side of the Government, although they did not, or would not, fight against 'Bonnie' Prince Charles. The Grants of Glenmoriston, on the other hand, were active in their support of Charles, and raised the Clan to fight at Prestonpans, where they are credited with winning the day due to their welcome reinforcement.

Then came Culloden, and the Jacobite cause was lost.
The Grants of Glenmoriston suffered heavily, pursued as fugitives and outlaws. The Laird of Grant (Fruechie) persuaded seventy Glenmoriston Grants to return to Inverness and surrender their arms, on the promise of freedom. There they were captured, and sent to the colonies as slaves. Grant of Glenmoriston himself had his house burned and his lands destroyed by the Duke of Cumberland - the 'Butcher Duke'. His name was among those on the first Bill of Punishment, but was later removed and the Chief had his estates returned.
Prince Charles, defeated and hunted, was given shelter in Grant country, by the famous 'Seven Men of Glenmoriston', one of whom was 'Black' Peter Grant. Despite having seen everything they own destroyed in the cause of the Prince, and despite rewards which were beyond the dreams of avarice, the seven men of Glenmoriston remained loyal and have earned a special place of honour in Scottish history.

Clan Grant: a History

The Clans and Families of Scotland