The Clan: Forbes

I am compiling this page to provide information online about the Forbes clan. If you would like to skip to other places, I have added links to some very good sites about clans, gaelic sites and Scottish information.

If you have any information you would like to add or think I should be corrected on some point of information please email me and I will be happy to agree or disagree with you. Enjoy! liam.forbes@acsalaska.net.

Clan Information

Historical events involving the clan Forbes. Including a short history of the clan itself.

The Clan Forbes Society

The above are the Clan crest and a Forbes tartan swatch.
Hereditary Chief of Clan Forbes: The Rt. Hon. Lord
	Forbes, K.B.E.
Clan Seats: Castle Forbes and Drumminor Castle, 
	Aberdeenshire
Tryst: Culquhonny Castle
The Gathering Shout: 'Lonach', 
	the name of a hill in the district of Strathdon
Gaelic Name for Forbes: Foirbeis
The Clan Plant Badge: the common broom.
The Clan Crest Badge: a stag's head, proper.
Clansmen's Badges:
The chief wears a crested badge surmounted by three 
feathers. It was the practise, however, for chiefs 
to allow their followers to wear the crest and motto 
in a silver strap-and-buckle badge. This is the 
clansmen's badge and if you are a member of the clan 
you may wear it. If the clan lacks a chief, no badge 
is worn. [Sir Thomas Innes, in The Scottish Tartans]
Heraldic Description Armorial Bearings(Lyon Register, I, 94)
	Arms: Azure, three bears' (boars') heads couped 
	  argent, muzzled gules.
	Crest: A stag's head attired proper.
	Supporters: Two bloodhounds argent, collared gules.
	Motto: "Grace me guide".
Pipe Music: 
	Cath Ghlinn Eurainn, a march, 
	  "The Battle of Glenn Eurann."
	Cruinneachadh nam Forbasach, a gathering,
	  "The Forbes' Gathering."
	The Lonach Highlanders
Septs and Dependents
	Bannerman.
	Berery.
	Berrie.
	Berry
	Boyce.
	Boyes.
	Faubus.
	Fobes.
	Forbush
	Fordice.
	Fordyce.
	Furbush.
	Lumsden.
	MacOuat.
	MacOwat.
	MacQuattie.
	MacWatt
	Mechie.
	Mekie.
	Meldrum.
	Michie.
	Middleton.
	Walter.
	Walters.
	Watson.
	Watt.
	Watters.
	Wattie.
	Watts.
The Forbes Tartan in 1/8th inch colors:
  1 blue, 1 black, 6 blue, 6 black, 6 green, 1 black, 
  1 white, 1 black, 6 green, 6 black, 6 blue, 1 black, 
  1 blue.
"A web of tartan is 2 feet 2 inches wide, at least within
half an inch, more or less, so that the size of the 
patterns make no difference in scale. Commencing at the 
edge of the cloth, the depth of the colours is stated 
throughout a square on which the scale must be reversed 
or gone through again to the commencement."  --Adam
The following came by email from Peter MacDonald:
"Adam's information on tartans is based on Logan's work
of 1831 who in turn got his material from the weaving 
firm of Wm Wilson & Sons of Bannockburn. Wilsons were 
doing at least two Forbes tartans, the usual one and 
what is now called Lamont. These they wove at various 
widths - more details are available in my recent book 
'The 1819 Key Pattern Book - One Hundred Original 
Tartans.'"  --Peter MacDonald

Castles of the Clan Forbes

Clan Seats: Castle Forbes and Drumminor Castle, Aberdeenshire
Tryst: Culquhonny Castle

Castle Forbes

Welcome to Castle Forbes in North-East Scotland. Set on a magnificent site at the heart of the 6,000-acre Forbes Estate, the Georgian castle overlooks the River Don, one of Scotland's premier fishing rivers.

In 1815 the renowned architect John Smith was commissioned to build a family home - Castle Forbes - by the 18th Lord Forbes.

That home is still occupied, now by his great-great-great grandson Malcolm (The Master of Forbes) and his wife Jinny. They offer a warm welcome for guests to stay in a castle still occupied by the family whose name it bears.

Tolquhoun Castle

The ruined castle of Tolquhoun, near Tarves, was built in the 1580s by a very old branch of the Forbes family who acquired their lands in 1420.

Castle Craigevar was built in 1626 by "Danzig" William Forbes, a timber merchant, and bought by benefactors from the Forbes-Sempill family for the National Trust of Scotland in 1963.

The five towers of Fyvie Castle, which dates from the 13th century, encapsulate five hundred years of Scottish history, each built by the five families who have owned this castle. It was bought from the Forbes-Leith family by the National Trust for Scotland, who consider it to be the finest example of Scottish baronial architecture.

Other online resources for the Clan Forbes

Related information.

A gateway to Scotland.
The Gathering of the Clans the clans of Scotland and links to Scottish, Irish and Gaelic sites.
The Gaelic site at sunsite
Clan Map by Burke's Peerage & Gentry

Last Modified: 2007-12-18

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