Clan Forbes Society Blogs

Few castles symbolize Scotland's turbulent past more vividly than Dunnottar Castle. Perched atop a rocky headland overlooking the North Sea, it served as the mighty seat of the Keith Earls Marischal, withstood sieges, and famously safeguarded the Honors of Scotland from Cromwell's army. Hidden within its story, however, is a lesser-known connection to Clan Forbes through the Forbes of Waterton, a cadet branch whose loyalty and service earned them a lasting place within the fo

Inverernan House lies in the Forbes dùthchas, on the River Don between Druminnor Castle and Corgarff Castle. Part of the larger Skellater estate, these lands were first claimed by Alistair Cam, 1st Laird of Brux, who was a brother of Sir Alexander, 1st Lord Forbes. In 1686, William Forbes, 2nd of Skellater, gave a portion of the Skellater estate to his son John, known as “Black Jock,” marking the first documented creation of the Forbes of Inverernan branch.

Edinglassie House stands in the quiet upper reaches of Glen Ernan, a side valley of Strathdon long associated with the Forbeses of Newe. Its personality is unmistakably shaped by the family who built, expanded, and stewarded it: practical Highland lairds who became global merchants, political figures, and symbols of Forbes resilience.

Corse House is nestled in a quiet hollow just north of the Corse Burn, roughly three miles north-west of Lumphanan, Aberdeenshire. The abandoned and ruined Corse Castle is not far -- a mere five-minute walk – but distant by time. For centuries, the castle was the home of the Forbes of Corse, known for their respected clerics and as the family that gave rise to the Forbes of Craigievar. However, the castle was vacated in the nineteenth century for the comfort of a more modern

The village of Alford lies within the Howe—or Vale—of Alford, a fertile basin formed by the River Don in central Aberdeenshire. Sheltered by surrounding hills and connected historically by ancient routeways linking Highland and Lowland Scotland, the district has long been one of northeastern Scotland’s most productive agricultural regions.

The 15th and 16th-century feud between the Forbeses and the Gordons was one of the most notorious in all of Scotland. Once allies, these families came to blows over religion and politics, resulting in murders, battles, and conflagrations. However, the Forbes-Gordon family emerged in the 18th century through inheritance rather than marriage, uniting these two prominent Scottish lineages. Their principal estates included Skellater and Balbithan in Aberdeenshire.

Perched on parkland in the approaches to Inverurie, Thainstone House is an elegant country mansion now operating as a luxury hotel and spa. However, this was once the center of the estate owned by two branches of the House of Forbes: first to a cadet of the Forbes of Tolquhon and then a cadet of the Forbes of Craigievar, later known as the Forbes-Mitchells.

On the Castle Forbes Estate, lies a remarkable relic of prehistoric architecture: the Cothiemuir Hill stone circle. The standing stones are a Neolithic recumbent stone circle, likely built for lunar observation and ritual use, and remain a culturally significant monument today. This is one of many such monuments scattered across northeast Scotland, yet it possesses unique features and enduring cultural resonance.

Are you in the market for a historic castle with a 1,000-acre estate worth £4.4m? Then the Forbes Heritage Site of Corsindae may be just right for you! Newly on the housing market, the Corsindae Estate includes the magnificent Corsindae House, its own private island, established fishing rights, and three holiday letting cottages.

St. Ninian’s Cathedral in Perth, Scotland, was the result of the friendship of Horace Courtney Gammell Forbes, 19th Lord Forbes (1829 – 1914), and George Frederick Boyle, 6th Earl of Glasgow (1825–1890), while at Oxford University. Not only was St. Ninian’s the first cathedral built in Great Britain since the 1560 Scottish Reformation, but it also re-united two Protestant congregations separated by doctrinal beliefs.

This stunning maplewood and silver mazer (drinking bowl) was probably commissioned by William Forbes (1566 – 1627), son of William Forbes, 4th Lord of Corse and brother of Patrick, Bishop of Aberdeen.

No trip to the National Museums Scotland in Edinburgh is complete without admiring this cannon which once defended the House of Forbes Heritage Site Tolquhon Castle.

By B. R. Forbes, Clan Historian & Storyteller The Monymusk Reliquary is an important eighth century religious artifact that was owned by the Forbes of Monymusk family in the mid-sixteenth century and is now on display at the National Museums of Scotland. The reliquary is believed to have been created around 750 CE by monks of the Celtic Church, possibly from Iona Abbey, an important center of early Christianity in Scotland. The reliquary is said to have housed relics of Saint

By B. R. Forbes, Clan Historian & Storyteller While many wealthy members of the House of Forbes commissioned paintings of themselves, successful banker Sir William Forbes, 7th Baronet of Pitsligo, wanted to immortalize his sons William the younger and John. Sir William was the son of Sir William Forbes of Pitsligo, 6th Baronet, who had worked his way up in the banking business from apprentice and clerk to one of the most successful bankers in Great Britain at the time. His so

The 16th-century tower house Crathes Castle is the ancestral seat of the Burnetts of Leys and includes reminders of the strong alliance with the house of Forbes. Crathes Castle was begun in the year 1553 by Alexander Burnet, 9th laird of Leys (1529-1574) and completed in 1596 by Alexander Burnett, 12th Laird of Leys. (Burnett, George. 1901. The Family of Burnett of Leys, with Collateral Branches. Aberdeen: University of Aberdeen.) The family of Burnetts were derived from the

By B. R. Forbes, Clan Historian & Storyteller For centuries, the House of Forbes has been a major influence in both the Shire of Aberdeen and the City of Aberdeen. John, the fifth laird of the land of Forbes, was born in 1350 and was known as “John of the Black Lip” due to a facial birthmark. He was invested as a Knight sometime before April 6, 1391, and in 1394, Sir John was appointed Justiciary and the first recorded hereditary “Crowner” (representative of the Crown) of Abe

The Origin of Fordyce Fordyce (fȯr-dīs-) is a toponymic name. More than half of all English surnames used today are derived from the names of places where the bearer’s ancestors once lived. Fordyce is no exception and originated from a quaint little village located in northeastern Scotland along the Aberdeen coast. According to Forebears, it is ranked the 74,228th most common surname in the world, which hardly seems common at all until you learn that there are currently more

By B. R. Forbes, Clan Historian & Storyteller Monymusk House in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, was built from the stones of a medieval Christian priory, was acquired by Duncan Forbes of Monymusk in 1560 who built the first mansion house in 1584, was sold to the Grants in 1712 who greatly expanded the house, and is now available for hire for events. The derivation of “Monymusk” (or “Monimusk”) is most likely based on the Gaelic “monadh” meaning a moor or heath and “uisge” meaning wa

No trip to the National Museums Scotland in Edinburgh is complete without admiring the cast bronze cannon that once defended the Tolquhon Castle. Tolquhon Castle (Adam Jackson) In 1420, Sir John Forbes (c. 1390 – c. 1454), third son of Sir John Forbes “of the black lip,” married Mariota (Marjory), daughter of Sir Henry Preston (c. 1368 – c. 1433), Thane of Fermartyn. In that year, Forbes and his wife took possession of "Preston's Tower." Upon Sir Henry’s death in 1433, Sir Jo

Terpersie Castle, Image by Gerry Robb Architects By B. R. Forbes, Clan Historian & Storyteller The battle for Terpersie Castle was not a bloody skirmish between Forbeses and Gordons, as was frequent in the 16th century. Instead, the battle was between The Honorable Kirstine Daranyi Forbes-Sempill and the Aberdeenshire Council. This month, 79-year-old Kirstie, as she prefers to be called, emerged victorious. The battle was over building an extension to the 16th century castle