Welcome all. This is not so much a clan home page as an informal, unofficial, clan gathering site. For centuries, Erskines have been emigrating to all parts of the globe, and for the first time, it is possible for members of the 'family' to make contact again, via The Internet.

THE ERSKINE CLAN  As far as I know, there is no official Erskine clan association anywhere in the World. I have made enquiries and searched in vain.  The name Erskine is believed to mean 'relatives of the Irish' (Erse kin, i.e. kin of the Erse speakers - Erse being the ancient highland form of Irish Gaelic). However, the Nova Scotia web site refers to the Gaelic name Arascain; a place name in Renfrewshire (now named Erskine). Early spellings from Renfrewshire also include Herchyn, Irskyn, Irschkyne and Yrskyn. The name thus appears to derive from a local parish or barony name, possibly before the Norman Conquest in 1066.  The Erskine tartan is one of the oldest, and there are several, all based on the same design but with different colours. For an exhaustive list (but no pictures), see the Tartan List maintained by Blair Urquhart. The Tartan Pages also provide links into some illustrated tartan collections (the background is the original clan tartan), and several Erskine tartans are at Sgian Dhu. The background to the page you are reading is the Erskine hunting tartan. There is more on Erskine tartans in page 2.

Exploring further  There is a Clan Erskine home page hosted in Nova Scotia, and others at Electric Scotland, SDI, at The Gathering of the Clans, and at Camelot. Another Erskine (without the last 'e') can be found at John Erskin's site, and an Erskine mailing list has been started at the Erskine-L Homepage.  ...and further  If you want to follow your roots in detail, you could try Researching Your Scottish Family History, the Genealogy Toolbox, the Erskine Genealogy Forum, the Scottish Genealogy Society, or the UK Genealogy page. Additional pointers are given in the clans section of the Tartan Pages. There is an introduction to genealogy on Jeff Alvey's web page. See also the Scottish Cultural Resources Access Network and Edinburgh University's Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry. Also see Scottish Family Histories.

A little history

The first Erskine on record was Henry de Erskine, being witness to a charter by King Alexander II, dated 12 March, 1226. A Sir Robert Erskine was the High Chamberlain of Scotland in 1350, and Sir Thomas Erskine, before 1371, was keeper of Edinburgh Castle and Sheriff of Edinburgh. It was not until around 1438 that an Erskine (Sir Robert Erskine) first became a Lord.

In 1457, the Erskines (by then the Earls of Mar) seem to have fallen out of favour with the crown and had their land and Earldom withdrawn, until 1565, when the Earldom was settled on one of the King's sons (later to be restored).

The most stable period of our history seems to have begun in the early 16th century, when the Erskines, as favoured courtiers, became the custodians of the royal persons (to protect them from being kidnapped by ambitious barons).

This responsibility extended from the care of the children of King James V, by the 5th Lord Erskine, to the care of Mary Queen of Scots as a child (at Stirling Castle), and later to the the care of her year-old son under the 6th lord Erskine (wherein hangs an interesting rumour). In 1571 Lord Erskine became Prince Regent, but he died a year later. The hereditary tradition of royal guardianship continued under the reign of James VI, while at the same time the Erskines held the keepership of Stirling Castle; a hereditary responsibility of the Erskines dating back to the early 14th century, and the custody of Edinburgh Castle.

The 7th Earl, John, born in 1562, was a long time friend of King James VI, and entered public life by seizing Stirling Castle from his uncle Alexander. He was charged with the care of the infant Prince Henry (over whom there was a custody battle with Elizabeth I), and in 1601 was on of the two ambassodors sent to the English Parliament to press the claim of King James to the English crown.

The best known Erskine in history was John (otherwise known as Bobbing John), who became Earl of Mar in 1689, and was charged with carrying out the final Act of Union between the English and Scottish Parliaments (1707). He became Secretary of State, and a member of the Privy Council, managing the affairs of Scotland under most of the reign of Queen Anne, but later became disillusioned by the Union and deprived of his Governership of Stirling Castle by King George I. He then committed himself to the Jacobite cause, securing the landing of King James at Peterhead, but was finally forced into exile in France, where he was Jacobite minister at the French Court. He was known as 'a man of good sense, but bad morals'.

A branch of the Erskines also inherited the Earldom of Buchan, and the Erskines also hold the Earldom of Kellie. The present Chief of the clan is Jamie Erskine, Earl of Mar and Kellie, who lives in Renfrewshire.

Of the great majority of Erskines who were not heirs to titles, little is known. Maybe the guestbook will open up some interesting and informative links.

Alloa Tower

As hereditary keepers of Stirling Castle, which was the main residence of many of the Stuart monarchs, the Erskine's found it convenient to establish their seat in the 15th Century Alloa Tower, in nearby Clackmannonshire. Alloa Tower was built in 1497 for the 3rd Lord Erskine and provided refuge to Mary Queen of Scots after the birth of her son, James VI. This gaunt and imposing fortified tower, owned by the National Trust,  has undergone a complete restoration, and was opened to the public by The Queen in the summer of 1997. The present Earl of Mar and Kellie has been up on the roof, assisting with the restoration.  Alloa Tower is featured in Weblink.

OTHER SCOTTISH LINKS

Other sites well worth a visit are the Gaelic pages, the Gathering of the Clans, the enormous Scottish Tourism index of links, The US/Scotland Links Page, and Angus Og's Scottish links and the Scottish Bookstore. Not to mention Rampant Scotland!.

Skeleton in the cupboard Edinburgh Castle

There is a story that Mary Queen of Scots' infant died soon after birth and that the future James VI was in fact an infant son of the Earl of Mar (6th Lord Erskine) substituted in place of the dead Prince on the instructions of Queen Mary.  This tradition was supported by the finding, in 1830, of the body of an infant walled up in the royal apartments in Edinburgh Castle, where Mary is said to have given birth to the child.   Portraits of the 2nd Earl of Mar and James VI were said to have shown an uncanny similarity of facial features.

Just prior to the 1st Earl becoming Regent, a prophecy concerning the Erskine Family was uttered. Called "The Doom of Mar" it was attributed by some to the late Abbot of Cambuskenneth Abbey and by others to the Earl's own bard.

"Proud Chief of Mar, thou shalt be raised still higher, until thou sittest in place of the King. Thou shalt rule and destroy, and thy work shall be called after thy name; by thy work shall be an emblem of thy house, and shall teach mankind that he who cruelly and haughtily raiseth himself upon the ruins of the holy cannot prosper. Thy work shall be cursed and shall never be finished.

"But thou shalt have riches and greatness, and be true to thy sovereign, and shall be raise his banner in the field of blood.

"Then, when thou seemest to be highest; when thy power is mightiest, then shall come thy fall; low shall be thy head amongst the nobles of thy people. Deep shall be the moan amoung the children of dool. Thy lands shall be given to the stranger; and thy titles shall lie amongst the dead.

"The brance that springs from thee shall see his dwelling burnt, in which a king was nursed, his wife a sacrifice in that flame; his children numerous but of little honour; and three born and grown who shall never see the light.

"Yet shall thine ancient tower stand; for the brave and true cannot be wholly forsaken. Thy proud head and daggered hand must dree thy weird until horses shall be stabled in thy hall, and a weaver shall throw his shuttle in thy chamber of state.

"Thine ancient tower - a woman's dower - shall be a ruin and a beacon until an ash sapling shall spring from its topmost stone. Then shall thy sorrows be ended and the sunshine of Royalty shall beam on thee once more. Thine honour shall be restored; and the kiss of peace shall be given to thy Countess, though she seek it not, and the days of peace shall return to thee and thine.

"The line of Mar shall be broken, but not until it honours are doubled, and its doom is ended."

The first two parts of the prophecy were completely fulfilled, apparently. (For example, three children were born blind -"..and three born and grown who shall never see the light"). The third part of the prophecy is yet to be fulfilled. The building of a mansion next to Stirling Castle was never completed (known as the "Mar's Wark").*
 

The Crest  It is a little known fact that all members of a Scottish clan have the right to use their clan crest.   This differs from the English system, where the right to use the crest is restricted to the close blood line. But once an Erskine, always an Erskine.   It is not recommended, however, that a clan crest signet ring should be used for affixing a crested hot wax seal to your email.

A large list of Erskine email addresses can be obtained by using the WhoWhere search engine.
 

This page was created by Robert Erskine, with much appreciated help from Tartan Pages.

This page is in no way connected with any clan association, and does not represent the views or interests of any political, religious or commercial organization.