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Rattray

• Crest: Issuant from a crest coronet Or, a star Or and thereon a flaming heart, Proper
• Motto: Super sidera votum (My wishes are above the stars)
• Origin of Name: Place name, Perthshire
• Clan Chief: Lachlan Rattray of Rattray https://www.scotclans.com/scottish-clans/clan-rattray/

Clan Rattray History

The name Rattray derives from the barony of Rattray in Perthshire. Legend has it 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; this may explain why two serpents support the coat of arms.

Wars of Scottish Independence: The earliest records mention the first laird, Alan who was recorded as witness on charters of Alexander II. During the Wars of Scottish Independence, Alan’s grandson Eustace fought at the Battle of Dunbar in 1296 where he was captured. His son Adam was compelled to swear an oath to Edward I in the same year, appearing on the Ragman Rolls of 1296. Adam was succeeded by his son,Alexander Rattray, who was amongst the barons who sat in the Parliament at Ayr to determine the succession to the throne in 1315. Alexander was succeeded by his brother, Eustace, the sixth Laird of Rattray, who was accused of being involved in a plot to depose Robert the Bruce, but he was later acquitted.

15th and 16th centuries: Sir Silvester Rattray of Rattray was ambassador to England in 1463, and inherited from his mother large estates around Fortingal. This caused the powerful Stewart Earl of Atholl to be jealous. After his death he was succeeded by his son, Sir John. Sir John was knighted by James IV in 1488 but was killed at Flodden in 1513. His eldest son was already dead leaving two daughters so the estate passed to his second son Patrick. Patrick was intimidated into giving up the Barony by John Stewart, Earl of Atholl - married to his sister, Grizel Rattray. He also took control of John Rattray's two daughters. Through the marriage of Patrick’s niece into the family, the Earl took control of the Barony and also took control of her sister. Thus Patrick was driven from his estate in 1516, and was forced to seek refuge in Nether Kinballoch. He began the construction of Craighall a grand building perched on a 200 feet rock above the River Ericht. The stronghold of Craighall could not protect him from Atholl though and he was murdered in 1533.

Sir John’s third son Silvester succeeded his murdered brother. Atholl continued to intimidate the family, however, and Silvester petitioned the king for legal recognition as heir. He was succeeded by his son, David Rattray of Craighall. The second son was another Silvester Rattray who was Reverend of Persie and became the first minister of Rattray after the Scottish Reformation. George, the laird’s eldest son was also murdered in 1592 and another Silvester, his son, succeeded him.

17th century and Civil War: Silvester was tutored by his uncle, the Reverend John Rattray and allied himself to the powerful Earls of Erroll. He died in 1612, leaving three sons. David, the eldest, fought for Charles I during the Scottish Civil War and as a result his seat at Craighall endured a short siege. John, the youngest, was captured in the Battle of Worcester in 1651after the defeat of Charles II in 1651 and incarcerated in the Tower of London.

David's son, Patrick Rattray was successful in uniting the barony of Kinballoch with Rattray and their other associated parishes into one free barony of Craighall-Rattray. This charter also claimed back Rattray land seized by the Earls of Atholl.

18th century and Jacobite risings: Patrick Rattray's grandson, Thomas Rattray, entered the Church and rose to be the Bishop of Brechin (then of Dunkeld) and became Primus of Scotland in 1739. Thomas was a Jacobite and his second son, John, was physician to Bonnie Prince Charlie, following him throughout the Jacobite rising of 1745 and was captured after the Battle of Culloden, but upon the intervention of Duncan Forbes, Lord Culloden he was reprieved. The bishop's eldest son, James Rattray, sheltered Jacobite fugitives at Craighall.

19th century and the British Empire: The twenty-second Laird died without issue and the twenty-third died without legitimate issue, so 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. The family seat is still at Craighall-Rattray.

James Clerk Rattray, the twenty-sixth Laird was a distinguished soldier who rose to the rank of general and who in 1897 was created a Knight of the Bath. He served during the Crimean War and during the Indian Rebellion of 1857.

• https://www.scotclans.com/scottish-clans/clan-rattray/rattray-history/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clan_Rattray

Sources

• https://www.scotclans.com/scottish-clans/clan-rattray/rattray-history
• https://www.scotclans.com/scottish-clans/clan-rattray/
• Dawn Stapylton-Adkins. James Rattray & His Descendants in South Africa 1822-1992, self-published, Cape Town, 1992
• https://www.scotclans.com/scottish-clans/clan-rattray/
• https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_History_of_Blairgowrie/l2Y...
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clan_Rattray