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Clan Ross ( ) is a Highland
Scottish clan A Scottish clan (from Scottish Gaelic , literally 'children', more broadly 'kindred') is a kinship group among the Scottish people. Clans give a sense of shared heritage and descent to members, and in modern times have an official structure r ...
. The original chiefs of the clan were the original
Earls of Ross The Earl or Mormaer of Ross was the ruler of the province of Ross in northern Scotland, as well as chief of Clan Ross. Origins and transfers In the early Middle Ages, Ross was part of the vast earldom of Moray. It seems to have been made ...
.


History


Origins

The first recorded chief of the Clan Ross was "Fearcher Mac an t-Sagairt" which in English meant "son of the priest" alluding to his Ó Beólláin descent from the hereditary
Abbot Abbot is an ecclesiastical title given to the head of an independent monastery for men in various Western Christian traditions. The name is derived from ''abba'', the Aramaic form of the Hebrew ''ab'', and means "father". The female equivale ...
s of
Applecross Applecross ( , 'The Sanctuary', historically anglicized as 'Combrich') is a peninsula in Wester Ross, in the Scottish Highlands. It is bounded by Loch Kishorn to the south, Loch Torridon to the north, and Glen Shieldaig to the east. On its wes ...
.Way, George and Squire, Romily. (1994). pp. 308–309. Fearchar helped King
Alexander II of Scotland Alexander II ( Medieval Gaelic: '; Modern Gaelic: '; nicknamed "the Peaceful" by modern historians; 24 August 1198 – 6 July 1249) was King of Alba (Scotland) from 1214 until his death. He concluded the Treaty of York (1237) which defined t ...
(1214–1249) crush a rebellion by Donald Bane, a rival claimant to the Scottish throne. Fearchar was
knight A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a knighthood by a head of state (including the pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church, or the country, especially in a military capacity. The concept of a knighthood ...
ed by the king and by 1234 he was officially recognized with the title of
Earl of Ross The Earl or Mormaer of Ross was the ruler of the province of Ross in northern Scotland, as well as chief of Clan Ross. Origins and transfers In the early Middle Ages, Ross was part of the vast earldom of Moray. It seems to have been made ...
. The Earl's son,
William William is a masculine given name of Germanic languages, Germanic origin. It became popular in England after the Norman Conquest, Norman conquest in 1066,All Things William"Meaning & Origin of the Name"/ref> and remained so throughout the Middle ...
was abducted in about 1250 in a revolt against the Earl's rule. However, he was rescued with help from the
Munros A Munro (; ) is defined as a mountain in Scotland with a height over , and which is on the Scottish Mountaineering Club (SMC) official list of Munros; there is no explicit topographical prominence requirement. The best known Munro is Ben Nevi ...
who were rewarded with lands and who became closely connected with their powerful benefactors.


Wars of Scottish Independence

During the
Wars of Scottish Independence The Wars of Scottish Independence were a series of military campaigns fought between the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England in the late 13th and 14th centuries. The First War (1296–1328) began with the English invasion of Scotla ...
the Clan Ross fought against the English at the
Battle of Dunbar (1296) The Battle of Dunbar was the only significant field action of the campaign of 1296 during the beginning of the First War of Scottish Independence. Background King Edward I of England had invaded Scotland in March 1296 to punish King John ...
where their chief, the
Earl of Ross The Earl or Mormaer of Ross was the ruler of the province of Ross in northern Scotland, as well as chief of Clan Ross. Origins and transfers In the early Middle Ages, Ross was part of the vast earldom of Moray. It seems to have been made ...
was captured.MacKinnon, Donald (1957). pp. 8–11. This meant that for a short time
William II, Earl of Ross William II, Earl of Ross (Gaelic: ''Uilleam''; died c. 1323) was ruler of the province of Ross in northern Scotland, and a prominent figure in the Wars of Scottish Independence. William was the only child of William I, Earl of Ross and his wi ...
sided with the English but he later supported Robert the Bruce of Scotland. The Clan Ross fought alongside King
Robert the Bruce Robert I (11 July 1274 – 7 June 1329), popularly known as Robert the Bruce (), was King of Scots from 1306 until his death in 1329. Robert led Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland during the First War of Scottish Independence against Kingdom of Eng ...
when Earl Fearchar's grandson William led the clan against the English at the
Battle of Bannockburn The Battle of Bannockburn ( or ) was fought on 23–24 June 1314, between the army of Robert the Bruce, King of Scots, and the army of King Edward II of England, during the First War of Scottish Independence. It was a decisive victory for Ro ...
in 1314.
Hugh, Earl of Ross Hugh Gaelic: Aodh], was the third successor of Fearchar, Earl of Ross, Ferchar mac in tSagairt as Mormaer of Ross, Scotland, Ross (1323–1333). Biography Hugh de Ross was the eldest son and heir of William II, Earl of Ross, by his wife Euphemi ...
, was killed at the
Battle of Halidon Hill The Battle of Halidon Hill took place on 19 July 1333 when a Scottish army under Sir Archibald Douglas attacked an English army commanded by King Edward III of England () and was heavily defeated. The year before, Edward Balliol had seized ...
in 1333.


15th century and clan conflicts

William III, Earl of Ross William (or Uilleam) III, 5th Earl of Ross (d. 1372) was a fourteenth-century Scottish nobleman. He was the fifth O’Beolan earl of Ross, descending from the founder of the line, Fearchar of Ross (or Fearchar MacTaggart). Biography William wa ...
(6th Earl of Ross) died without male issue.MacKinnon, Donald. (1957). pp. 11. The earldom of Ross and the chiefship of Clan Ross were then separated. The chiefship of the Clan Ross passed to Earl William's brother Hugh Ross of Rariches (1st of Balnagown), who was granted a charter, in 1374, for the lands of Balnagowan. The earldom of Ross passed through a female line, and that later led to dispute between two rival claimants—the
Lord of the Isles Lord of the Isles or King of the Isles ( or ; ) is a title of nobility in the Baronage of Scotland with historical roots that go back beyond the Kingdom of Scotland. It began with Somerled in the 12th century and thereafter the title was ...
and the
Duke of Albany Duke of Albany is a peerage title that has occasionally been bestowed on younger sons in the Scotland, Scottish and later the British royal family, particularly in the Houses of House of Stuart, Stuart and House of Hanover, Hanover. History ...
. This resulted in the
Battle of Harlaw The Battle of Harlaw () was a Scottish clan battle fought on 24 July 1411 just north of Inverurie in Aberdeenshire. It was one of a series of battles fought during the Middle Ages between the barons of northeast Scotland and those from the wes ...
in 1411 where the Clan Ross fought with the Highlanders in support of the Lord of the Isles against an army led by the Earl of Mar under the urging of Robert, Duke of Albany. They were successful in defeating Mar. The Rosses took part in the
Battle of Verneuil The Battle of Verneuil was a battle of the Hundred Years' War, fought on 17 August 1424 near Verneuil-sur-Avre in Normandy between an English army and a combined Franco-Scottish force, augmented by Milanese heavy cavalry. The battle was a si ...
1424, against the English in France.MacKinnon, Donald. (1957). pp. 14. On the death of the Earl of Buchan and Ross at that battle, James I claimed Earldom of Ross for himself though the rightful claim to the title was in Alexander of Islay, Lord of the Isles.
James I James I may refer to: People *James I of Aragon (1208–1276) * James I of Sicily or James II of Aragon (1267–1327) * James I, Count of La Marche (1319–1362), Count of Ponthieu * James I, Count of Urgell (1321–1347) *James I of Cyprus (1334� ...
eventually restored the earldom to the heiress of line, Mariota, Countess of Ross, the mother of Alexander of Islay,
Lord of the Isles Lord of the Isles or King of the Isles ( or ; ) is a title of nobility in the Baronage of Scotland with historical roots that go back beyond the Kingdom of Scotland. It began with Somerled in the 12th century and thereafter the title was ...
who became the Earl of Ross. In the late 15th century the
Clan Mackay Clan Mackay ( ; ) is an ancient and once-powerful Scottish Highlands, Highland Scottish clan from the far north of the Scottish Highlands, but with roots in the old Mormaer of Moray, Kingdom of Moray. They supported Robert I of Scotland, Rober ...
and Clan Ross had long been at feud. This resulted in the
Battle of Tarbat The Battle of Tarbat was a Scottish clan battle fought in the 1480s on the Tarbat peninsula, in Easter Ross. The Clan Ross cornered a raiding party of Clan Mackay near the village of Portmahomack and put many of them to the sword. The surviv ...
in 1486 where the Mackays were defeated by the Rosses and the Mackay chief was killed.MacKinnon, Donald. (1957). pp. 16. This was followed by the
Battle of Aldy Charrish The Battle of Aldy Charrish (also known as the Battle of Auldicharish, Aldicharrish, Aldecharwis, Alt a'Charrais, Alt Charrais, Alt na Charrais) was a Scottish clan battle that took place on 11 July 1487. The Clan Mackay and possibly the Clan ...
where the Rosses were defeated by the Mackays and the Ross chief was killed along with many of his clan. According to 17th-century historian
Sir Robert Gordon Sir Robert Gordon (1791 – 8 October 1847) was a British diplomat. Gordon was a younger son of George Gordon, Lord Haddo (himself the eldest son of the 3rd Earl of Aberdeen) and a brother of the 4th Earl of Aberdeen. He was educated at St ...
, who was a younger son of Alexander Gordon, 12th Earl of Sutherland, the Clan Sutherland joined the side of the Clan Mackay at this battle. However 19th-century historian Angus Mackay disputes the Sutherland's presence at the battle stating that it would be unlikely that the Earl of Sutherland at the time would have assisted against the Rosses as he was married to a daughter of the Ross chief of Balnagowan, and also that the feudal superiority of the Sutherlands over the Mackays "nowhere existed save in his own fertile imagination". In 1496, the King summoned chiefs David Ross and Iye Roy Mackay. He ordered them to appear before the
Earl of Argyll Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. In modern Britain, an earl is a member of the peerage, ranking below a marquess and above a viscount. A feminine form of ''earl'' never developed; instead, ''countess'' is used. The titl ...
who was then the Lord High Chancellor of Scotland and make peace, on the understanding that should they not be peaceful that they would be fined 500 merks. The Mackays continued to raid the Rosses and it would appear the civil authority was too feeble to stop them. However the Mackays soon became involved in feuding with the
Clan Sutherland Clan Sutherland also known as House of Sutherland is a Highland Scottish clan whose traditional territory is the shire of Sutherland in the far north of Scotland. The chief of the clan was also the powerful Earl of Sutherland; however, in the ear ...
and raids on the Rosses did not continue.


16th century and Anglo-Scottish Wars

''The Calendar of Fearn'' which is a manuscript of the Clan Ross records a Hugh Ross, some time
cadet A cadet is a student or trainee within various organisations, primarily in military contexts where individuals undergo training to become commissioned officers. However, several civilian organisations, including civil aviation groups, maritime ...
of the Rosses of Balnagowan, who was killed at the Battle of Achnashellach in 1504/05. Contemporary documents, the ''Munro Writs'' show that he was a procurator for William Munro, 12th Baron of Foulis who led the royal forces at this battle. During the
Anglo-Scottish Wars The Anglo-Scottish Wars comprise the various battles which continued to be fought between the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland from the time of the Wars of Independence in the early 14th century through to the latter years of the ...
, John Ross, 2nd Lord Ross of Halkhead, died when leading his forces against the English at the
Battle of Flodden The Battle of Flodden, Flodden Field, or occasionally Branxton or Brainston Moor was fought on 9 September 1513 during the War of the League of Cambrai between the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland and resulted in an English victory ...
on 9 September 1513. Chief Alexander Ross 9th of Balnagowan (d.1592) is recorded as being a man of violence, utterly unscrupulous, given to raiding lands and forcing his clansmen to draw out agreements in his favour with total disregard for the law.MacKinnon, Donald. (1957). pp. 18–19. Soon he was imprisoned in
Tantallon Castle Tantallon Castle is a ruined mid-14th-century fortress, located east of North Berwick, in East Lothian, Scotland. It sits atop a promontory opposite the Bass Rock, looking out onto the Firth of Forth. The last medieval curtain wall castle to b ...
. Later he was released on the condition that he would live peacefully but he did not. His own son George was given permission to use fire and sword against him but Alexander could not be brought in. Alexander died in 1592.


17th century and Civil War

George 10th of Balnagowan was educated at St Andrew's University, the first Ross chief to receive university education.MacKinnon, Donald. (1957). pp. 19–20. However, he became as notorious as his father and died in 1615. His son David 11th of Balnagowan was a more peace- and law-abiding chief than his father and grandfather. David died in 1632 and his son, also called David, succeeded him. David Ross 12th of Balnagowan signed the National Covenant at
Inverness Inverness (; ; from the , meaning "Mouth of the River Ness") is a city in the Scottish Highlands, having been granted city status in 2000. It is the administrative centre for The Highland Council and is regarded as the capital of the Highland ...
on 26 April 1638.MacKinnon, Donald. (1957). pp. 20. He later joined the royalists for a short time only to become a covenanter again and was present at the defeat of
James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose (1612 – 21 May 1650) was a Scottish nobleman, poet, soldier and later viceroy and captain general of Scotland. Montrose initially joined the Covenanters in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, but subsequ ...
at the
Battle of Carbisdale The Battle of Carbisdale (also known as Invercarron) took place close to the village of Culrain, Sutherland, Scotland on 27 April 1650 and was part of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It was fought by the Royalist leader James Graham, 1st Marque ...
in 1650. The Clan Ross and
Clan Munro Clan Munro (; ) is a Highland Scottish clan. Historically the clan was based in Easter Ross in the Scottish Highlands. Traditional origins of the clan give its founder as Donald Munro who came from the north of Ireland and settled in Scotland i ...
fought on the side of the Scottish Government, then led by the Duke of Argyll. They defeated the royalist army of James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose. David Ross, 12th of Balnagowan later led some of the clan at the
Battle of Worcester The Battle of Worcester took place on 3 September 1651 in and around the city of Worcester, England and was the last major battle of the 1642 to 1651 Wars of the Three Kingdoms. A Parliamentarian army of around 28,000 under Oliver Cromwell def ...
on 3 September 1651 where he was captured and imprisoned at the
Tower of London The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic citadel and castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamle ...
.MacKinnon, Donald. (1957). pp. 22. He is said to have died there in 1653 and been buried in Westminster. In 1689, 100 men of the Clan Ross occupied Castle Leod to watch for movements of the Jacobite Mackenzies.


18th Century


Jacobite rising of 1715–1719

In 1715, during the Jacobite rising, the Clan Ross along with their allies the
Clan Munro Clan Munro (; ) is a Highland Scottish clan. Historically the clan was based in Easter Ross in the Scottish Highlands. Traditional origins of the clan give its founder as Donald Munro who came from the north of Ireland and settled in Scotland i ...
,
Clan Mackay Clan Mackay ( ; ) is an ancient and once-powerful Scottish Highlands, Highland Scottish clan from the far north of the Scottish Highlands, but with roots in the old Mormaer of Moray, Kingdom of Moray. They supported Robert I of Scotland, Rober ...
and
Clan Sutherland Clan Sutherland also known as House of Sutherland is a Highland Scottish clan whose traditional territory is the shire of Sutherland in the far north of Scotland. The chief of the clan was also the powerful Earl of Sutherland; however, in the ear ...
were forced into a retreat by a larger force of Jacobites in what is known as the
Skirmish of Alness The Skirmish of Alness was a conflict that took place in October 1715 in Alness, in the county of Ross in the Scottish Highlands. It was part of the Jacobite rising of 1715 and pitted Highlanders loyal to the British-Hanoverian Government of Ge ...
.MacKinnon, Donald. (1957). pp. 23. The Jacobites were led by
William Mackenzie, 5th Earl of Seaforth William Mackenzie, 5th Earl of Seaforth (died 1740), and 2nd titular Marquess of Seaforth (in the Jacobite Peerage), also known as Uilleam Dubh, or Black William, was a Scotland, Scottish peer and head of Clan Mackenzie. Educated in France and b ...
, chief of the
Clan Mackenzie Clan Mackenzie ( ) is a Highland Scottish clan associated with Kintail and Ross-shire. Its chiefs trace their lineage to the 12th century, though the earliest recorded chief is Alexander Mackenzie of Kintail, who died after 1471. The clan suppo ...
. The clan rivalries which had erupted in rebellion were finding an outlet in local politics. The Mackenzie's
Earl of Seaforth Earl of Seaforth was a title in the Peerage of Scotland and the Peerage of Ireland, derived from Loch Seaforth on the coast of Lewis. It was held by the family of Mackenzie from 1623 to 1716, and again from 1771 to 1781. History The Mackenzie ...
title came to an end in 1716, and it seems to have been arranged that while the Clan Ross held the county seat the Munros would represent the Tain Burghs. To secure the burghs, control of three out of the five was necessary. The Ross ascendancy was secure in
Tain Tain ( ) is a royal burgh and parish in the County of Ross, in the Scottish Highlands, Highlands of Scotland. Etymology The name derives from the nearby River Tain, the name of which comes from an Indo-European root meaning 'flow'. The Gaelic n ...
, and from 1716 to 1745 the Munros controlled
Dingwall Dingwall (, ) is a town and a royal burgh in the Highland (council area), Highland council area of Scotland. It has a population of 5,491. It was an east-coast harbour that now lies inland. Dingwall Castle was once the biggest castle north ...
. In 1719 a company of men from the Clan Ross fought for the government at the
Battle of Glen Shiel The Battle of Glen Shiel took place on 10 June 1719 in the Scottish Highlands, during the Jacobite rising of 1719. A Jacobitism, Jacobite army composed of Highland levies and Spanish Marine Infantry, Spanish marines was defeated by British gover ...
where the Jacobites, including the Mackenzies were defeated. In 1721, a small force of men from the Clan Ross, led by chief William Ross 6th of the Pitcalnie line and his brother Robert went on a rent collecting expedition into the lands of the Mackenzies.MacKinnon, Donald. (1957). pp. 24. They were defeated by a much larger force of Mackenzies at the
Battle of Glen Affric The Battle of Glen Affric () took place in 1721 in Glen Affric, in the Scottish Highlands. It was fought between Government backed forces of the Clan Ross against rebel forces of the Clan Mackenzie and their allies the Clan Macrae. Background ...
.
General Wade Field marshal (United Kingdom), Field Marshal George Wade (1673 – 14 March 1748) was a British Army officer and politician who served in the Nine Years' War, War of the Spanish Succession, Jacobite rising of 1715 and War of the Quadruple Al ...
's report on the Highlands in 1724, estimated the combined clan strength of the Rosses and Munros at 700 men.


War in France

Col. Charles, 13th Lord Ross of Hawkhead and 15th of Balnagowan, was killed in 1745 leading some members of the clan at the
Battle of Fontenoy The Battle of Fontenoy took place on 11 May 1745 during the War of the Austrian Succession, near Tournai, then in the Austrian Netherlands, now Belgium. A French army of 50,000 under Maurice, comte de Saxe, Marshal Saxe defeated a Pragmatic Ar ...
fighting against the French on 30 April 1745. Balnagowan passed to George, 13th Lord Ross, in 1745. William, 14th Lord Ross, died unmarried, and Balnagowan then passed to Sir James Lockhard, 2nd Baronet of Carstairs.


Jacobite rising of 1745–1746

During the
Jacobite rising of 1745 The Jacobite rising of 1745 was an attempt by Charles Edward Stuart to regain the Monarchy of Great Britain, British throne for his father, James Francis Edward Stuart. It took place during the War of the Austrian Succession, when the bulk of t ...
, in the County of Ross, although from the Pitcalnie line, the nominal 18th Chief of Clan Ross was Alexander Ross of Pitcalnie. He was a staunch Protestant, somewhat more tolerant of Jacobites than his father but definitely pro-
Hanoverian The adjective Hanoverian is used to describe: * British monarchs or supporters of the House of Hanover, the dynasty which ruled the United Kingdom from 1714 to 1901 * things relating to; ** Electorate of Hanover ** Kingdom of Hanover ** Province of ...
. In addition, Alexander's uncle, Duncan
Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine founded by B. C. Forbes in 1917. It has been owned by the Hong Kong–based investment group Integrated Whale Media Investments since 2014. Its chairman and editor-in-chief is Steve Forbes. The co ...
of Culloden, was Lord President of the Court of Session for King
George II of Great Britain George II (George Augustus; ; 30 October / 9 November 1683 – 25 October 1760) was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland, Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (Electorate of Hanover, Hanover) and a prince-elector of the Holy Roman Em ...
's government in London. Duncan Forbes and Alexander Ross the Pitcalnie chief raised an Independent Highland Company to garrison
Inverness Castle Inverness Castle () sits on a cliff overlooking the River Ness in Inverness, Scotland. A succession of castles have stood on this site since 1057, although the present structure dates from 1836. The present structure is a Category A listed buil ...
against the Jacobites. The McFarquhars of
Redcastle Redcastle (), historically known as Edirdovar and Ederdour, is a medieval castle in Killearnan on the Black Isle, northern Scotland. It is so named from the colour of the stone of which it is built. The castle is now in a state of ruinous d ...
brought a strong Jacobite contingent from the
Black Isle The Black Isle (, ) is a peninsula within Ross and Cromarty, in the Scottish Highlands. It includes the towns of Cromarty and Fortrose, and the villages of Culbokie, Resolis, Jemimaville, Rosemarkie, Avoch, Munlochy, Tore, and North Kesso ...
to join the forces of the Earl of Cromarty and a rebel, John Ross joined them. Forays were made before the Battle of Culloden and on the day before the battle, 15 April 1746, about 200 of the McFarquhar's Jacobite force were ambushed by pro-government Scots at the
Battle of Littleferry The Battle of Littleferry (also known as the Skirmish at Golspie) took place during the Jacobite rising in 1746, just before the Battle of Culloden. Scottish forces loyal to the British-Hanoverian Government defeated a Scottish Jacobite force. ...
near
Golspie Golspie ( , ) is a village and parish in Sutherland, Scottish Highlands, Highland, Scotland, which lies on the North Sea coast in the shadow of Ben Bhraggie. It has a population of around 1,350. History The name derives from the Old Norse, ...
. At most, one-tenth survived; John Ross escaped to Sutherland but was first to be put on a list of rebels. However, apart from him the Clan Ross supported the government. The chiefship of Clan Ross devolved upon Ross of Pitcalnie, heir of David who was the last of the direct line of Balnagowan. Sir John, the 5th baronet, assumed the name "Ross" and then, after Carstairs was sold in 1762, the designation "of Balnagowan." The Balnagowan estate itself is no longer in Ross hands. Its recent owner, Egyptian millionaire Mohammed Fayed (d. 2023), former owner of the
Harrods Harrods is a Listed building, Grade II listed luxury department store on Brompton Road in Knightsbridge, London, England. It was designed by C. W. Stephens for Charles Digby Harrod, and opened in 1905; it replaced the first store on the ground ...
department store, put a lot of money into improving the estate and restoring the castle. The current Chief lives in
Perthshire Perthshire (Scottish English, locally: ; ), officially the County of Perth, is a Shires of Scotland, historic county and registration county in central Scotland. Geographically it extends from Strathmore, Angus and Perth & Kinross, Strathmore ...
. His son, Hugh, and grandson, Calum, are both interested and involved in the Gaelic scene across Scotland.


Chiefs

*The current chief of Clan Ross is Baron David Campbell Ross, of Ross and Balnagowan.


Tartans

Clan Ross has three tartans: * Ross Red tartan * Ross Dress tartan (modern & ancient) * Ross Hunting tartan (modern, ancient & weathered)


Castles

*
Balnagown Castle Balnagown Castle (also Balnagowan)(Ross Castle) is beside the village of Kildary in Easter Ross, part of the Highland area of Scotland. There has been a castle on the site since the 14th century, although the present building was remodelled in ...
, eight miles north-east of
Alness Alness (, ; ) is a town and civil parishes in Scotland, civil parish in Ross and Cromarty, Scotland. It lies near the mouth of the River Averon, near the Cromarty Firth, with the town of Invergordon to the east, and the village of Evanton to ...
was originally built in the fourteenth century but was extended in later years. The castle was first built by the Rosses in 1375. The castle was lost by the Ross chiefs in the eighteenth century due to debt but was bought from them by the Rosses of Hawkhead who were a southern branch of the clan. The property remained with the Ross family until 1978. There are stories of two ghosts in the castle: the first is of ''black'' Andrew Munro of Milntown who is said to have been hanged from Balnagown Castle in 1522 after being found guilty of many dastardly deeds. (However, historian Alexander Mackenzie says that Munro died after falling down the steps of his own Milntown Castle and breaking his neck before 1522).Mackenzie, Alexander. (1898). ''History of the Munros of Fowlis''. pp. 273–274. Munro's ghost is said to manifest itself into women. The other ghost is of a young woman clad in grey dress with auburn hair and green eyes. The story goes that her skeleton is walled up somewhere in the castle. * Hawkhead Castle was a mile east of Paisley in
Renfrewshire Renfrewshire () (; ) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. Renfrewshire is located in the west central Lowlands. It borders East Renfrewshire, Glasgow, Inverclyde, North Ayrshire and West Dunbartonshire, and lies on the southern ba ...
. It consisted of a strong keep and tower that were later incorporated into a mansion. Hawkhead was a property of the Rosses from the middle of the fifteenth century and they built the original castle. *
Arnage Castle Arnage Castle is a country house, incorporating a Z-plan tower house, located around north of Ellon, in Aberdeenshire, north-east Scotland. The tower house dates from the late 16th century, and was extended in subsequent centuries. History The ...
, near Ellon, Aberdeenshire is a Z-plan tower house that was sold to John Ross, Provost of Aberdeen in 1702. Not to be confused with ''Provost Ross's House'' that was home of the same John Ross and now houses part of
Aberdeen Maritime Museum Aberdeen Maritime Museum is a maritime museum in Aberdeen, Scotland. The museum is situated on the historic Shiprow in the heart of the city, near the harbour. It makes use of a range of buildings including the former Trinity Congregational Ch ...
. *
Balconie Castle Balconie Castle () lay in the parish of Kiltearn, about east of the village of Evanton in the Highlands of Scotland. History The MacDonalds The castle was an old seat of the Mormaer of Ross, Mormaers and Earl of Ross, Earls of Ross, chiefs of ...
, near Alness, Ross and Cromarty, was held by the Earls of Ross. *Caisteal nan Corr, also known as Invercassley, near
Lairg Lairg (, meaning "the shank/shin") is a village and parish in Sutherland, Scotland. It has a population of 891 and is at the south-eastern end of Loch Shin. Lairg is unusual in the northern Highlands in being a large settlement that is not on ...
in
Sutherland Sutherland () is a Counties of Scotland, historic county, registration county and lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area in the Scottish Highlands, Highlands of Scotland. The name dates from the Scandinavian Scotland, Viking era when t ...
, are the slight remains of a tower house once held by the Rosses. *Pitcalnie Castle, near
Cromarty Cromarty (; , ) is a town, civil parishes in Scotland, civil parish and former royal burgh in Ross and Cromarty, in the Highland (council area), Highland area of Scotland. Situated at the tip of the Black Isle on the southern shore of the mout ...
, is the site of a castle that was held by the Munros but passed to the Rosses in the eighteenth century. * Portencross Castle, also known as Ardneil Castle, near
West Kilbride West Kilbride () is a village and historic parish in North Ayrshire, Scotland, on the west coast by the Firth of Clyde, looking across the Firth of Clyde to Goat Fell and the Isle of Arran. West Kilbride and adjoining districts of Seamill and P ...
, in
Ayrshire Ayrshire (, ) is a Counties of Scotland, historic county and registration county, in south-west Scotland, located on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. The lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area of Ayrshire and Arran covers the entirety ...
was originally held by the Rosses but passed to the
Clan Boyd Clan Boyd is a Scottish clan of the Scottish Lowlands and is recognized as such by the Lord Lyon King of Arms. History Origins of the clan The name Boyd is said to be descriptive, being derived from the Scottish Gaelic ''buidh'' which means ...
after the Wars of Scottish Independence. *
Sanquhar Castle Sanquhar Castle, now a ruin, was built in the 13th century; the ruins are situated north east of Dumfries overlooking the River Nith. Situated on the southern approach to the former royal burgh of Sanquhar in Dumfries and Galloway, south west Sco ...
near Sanquhar in Dumfries and Galloway was once held by the Rosses but passed to the
Clan Crichton Clan Crichton is a Scottish Lowlands, Lowland Scottish clan that historically ruled Dumfries. History Origins of the clan One of the earliest baronies around Edinburgh was formed from the lands of ''Crichton, Midlothian, Kreitton'' and is men ...
in the fourteenth century, and then much later to the
Clan Douglas Clan Douglas ( Gaelic: ''Dùbhghlas'') is an ancient clan or noble house from the Scottish Lowlands. Taking their name from Douglas in Lanarkshire, their leaders gained vast territories throughout the Borders, Angus, Lothian, Moray, and also ...
. *Shandwick Castle, near
Balintore, Easter Ross __NOTOC__ Balintore (from the meaning "The Bleaching Town") is a village near Tain in Easter Ross, Scotland. It is one of three villages on this northern stretch of the Moray Firth The Moray Firth (; , or ) is a roughly triangular inlet (o ...
was held by the Rosses of Shandwick. (The Rosses of Shandwick are the present chiefs of Clan Ross).
Sir Ronald Ross Sir Ronald Ross (13 May 1857 – 16 September 1932) was a British medical doctor who received the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1902 for his work on the transmission of malaria, becoming the first British Nobel laureate, and the f ...
of Shandwick was an eminent physician who discovered the cause of
Malaria Malaria is a Mosquito-borne disease, mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects vertebrates and ''Anopheles'' mosquitoes. Human malaria causes Signs and symptoms, symptoms that typically include fever, Fatigue (medical), fatigue, vomitin ...
. *
Tain Through Time The Tain & District Museum is located in Tain, Ross-shire, Scotland. It is volunteer-run and is open April to October part of the Tain Through Time visitor centre. The museum was established in 1966 and has a collection of silver made in the loc ...
in
Tain Tain ( ) is a royal burgh and parish in the County of Ross, in the Scottish Highlands, Highlands of Scotland. Etymology The name derives from the nearby River Tain, the name of which comes from an Indo-European root meaning 'flow'. The Gaelic n ...
, Ross and Cromarty has information about the Rosses in a Clan Ross centre.


See also

* Chiefs of Clan Ross *
Earl of Ross The Earl or Mormaer of Ross was the ruler of the province of Ross in northern Scotland, as well as chief of Clan Ross. Origins and transfers In the early Middle Ages, Ross was part of the vast earldom of Moray. It seems to have been made ...
* Leod Macgilleandrais *
Paul Mactire Paul Mactire, also known as Paul MacTyre, and Paul M'Tyre, was a 14th-century Scotsman who lived in the north of Scotland. He appears in several contemporary records, as well as in a 15th-century genealogy which records his supposed ancestry. He ...
*
Scottish clan A Scottish clan (from Scottish Gaelic , literally 'children', more broadly 'kindred') is a kinship group among the Scottish people. Clans give a sense of shared heritage and descent to members, and in modern times have an official structure r ...


References


Bibliography

*Coventry, Martin. (2008). ''Castles of the Clans: The Strongholds and Seats of 750 Scottish Families and Clans''. . *Mackay, Angus. (1906). ''The Book of Mackay''. (St Andrews University). Printed by William Rae, Wick. *Mackay, Robert. (1829). ''History of the Clan and House of the Name Mackay'' *Mackinnon, Donald. (1957). ''The Clan Ross''. Edinburgh: W. & A. K. Johnston & G. W. Bacon. . *Mackenzie, Alan. (2006). ''History of the Clan Mackenzie''. *Simpson, Peter. (1996). ''The Independent Highland Companies, 1603–1760''. . *Way, George and Squire, Romily. (1994). ''Collins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia''. (Foreword by The Rt Hon. The Earl of Elgin KT, Convenor, The
Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs The Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs (SCSC) is an organisation that represents many prominent Scottish clan chief, clan chiefs and Scottish clan chief#Chief of the Name and Arms, Chiefs of the Name and Arms in Scotland. It claims to be the pr ...
).


External links


Clan Ross AmericaClan Ross Association of Canada, IncClan Ross of the United States, IncClan Ross on the Tain & District Museum websiteClan Ross at ScotClans.comClan Ross Association of New Zealand, Inc
{{Scottish clans
Ross Ross may refer to: People and fictional characters * Ross (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the surname or given name Ross, as well as the meaning * Clan Ross, a Highland Scottish clan Places Antarctica * Ross Sea ...