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The Early
Days
The first documented presence of the
Forsyth name in Scotland was the signing of the "Ragman
Roll" in Berwick on 28th August 1296 by a William de
Fersith. This was the document by which all the nobles, prelates
and those of lesser standing in Scotland were compelled to subscribe allegiance
to Edward I of England after the failure of King John (Toom Tabard) to defeat
the English.
After this King Edward had the Honours of Scotland, Stone of Scone and
muniments sent to London. and over a period of time much of the historical
documents was either lost or destroyed thus creating gaps in the Scottish
historical records.
Forsyths in
Stirling
The next record is of Osbert, son of Robert de
Forsyth, who received a grant of part of the lands of Sauchie in
the sheriffdom of Stirling from King Robert the Bruce. Osbert fought against
the English at Bannockburn and his land charted was confirmed in 1320. Osbert's
son Robert was appointed King's macer in 1364 and Constable of Stirling castle
in 1368, he died in 1370.
In 1364 the accounts of the "Customers" of Stirling were rendered by
Fersith the Clerk who was probably Robert's brother and who was
granted £100 per annum from the lands of the Polmaise Marischal by King
Robert II. In 1418 Robert Forsyth rendered the accounts of the
Burgh of Stirling and in 1432 his son Robert became Burgess of the city and a
Bailie in 1470. Duncan and David Forsyth became Burgesses in 1479
and descendents of the family settled in Stirling and held civic office until
modern times.
Forsyths in
Lanarkshire
Before 1488 David Forsyth, Burgess of
Stirling, bought the lands of Dykes, otherwise known as Hallhill, near
Strathaven in Lanarkshire. the ancient castle, which had stood from before that
time, fell into ruin and was demolished in 1828. In 1540 the family left Dykes
and moved to Inchnoch Castle in Monkland, Lanarkshire. it was this family that
was subsequently to set up branches in Ayrshire, Aberdeenshire, Glasgow, North
America and Australia.
Forsyths in Edinburgh
William Forsyth, a Bailie of Edinburgh in 1365, must have been a
Burgess of the city from about 1345 to achieve this office. he may also have
been a descendent through one generation to the William who signed the
"Ragman Roll". William of Edinburgh had two sons, William who became
a Burgess of the city in 1374 and a Bailie in 1394 and Malcolm who was a
Burgess before 1381. This William has two sons. William, who was a Burgess of
Edinburgh in 1423, moved to St. Andrews, in Fife, and purchased the Barony of
Nydie in 1435. John, a Burgess in 1397 became a bailie of Edinburgh in 1425.
Thomas Forsyth was a Burgess of Edinburgh in 1439 and may have
descended from John. From Edinburgh spread many branches of the family to the
Lothians, Borders and Dumfries as well as to Fife, Aberdeenshire and to Ulster
and the Americas.
Forsyths in
Glasgow
David Forsyth was a Burgess of the city in
1478 and in 1487 Dom Thomas de Forsyth, Prebendary of Glasgow,
endowed the chapel of Corpus Christie in the Cathedral. There are continuous
records of the family as merchants and Burgesses of the city through the 16th,
17th and 18th centuries. It was from Glasgow that members of the family settled
in Argyllshire and Dumbartonshire and emigrated to Ulster, the Americas, South
Africa and Australia.
Forsyths In Fife
Nydie, near St. Andrews, was a Barony under the superiority of the Archbishop
of St. Andrews, Henry Wardlaw, when the lands were purchased by William
Forsyth in 1435. His son, Henry was beadle of St. Andrews
University from 1456 to 1461. In 1484 Alexander, the fourth Laird was appointed
Sheriff-Depute of Fife and sold the family lands at Foulford in Edinburgh in
1491. Armorial bearings were granted to him in 1492 by the Lord Lyon, Sir James
Balfour. Alexander died at Flodden in 1513. His grandson James married
Elizabeth Leslie before 1520. Elizabeth was grand-daughter to George, fourth
Earl of Rothes, and great grand-daughter of King James III. 1523 the
superiority of Nydie transferred to the Earl and the fortunes of this branch of
the family became closely tied to those of the leslies. Descendants of this
branch of the family are believed to have continued living in Fife to the
present day and are represented in the Forsyths at Falkland who have a
documented history from before 1607. Our present Chief, Alistair of that Ilk,
has connections with Falkland where his family was resident as Lairds at the
end of the 16th century. There are also records that show a family of
Forsyth, believed to be the ancient Chiefly line, had been
associated with the Royal House of Stewart and Falkland Palace since the end of
the 14th century. From Nydie branches spread to Dundee and up the east coast to
Aberdeen. Descendants are living today in North America and New Zealand as well
as other parts of the United Kingdom.
Forsyths in Aberdeenshire
The earliest record in Aberdeenshire is the sasine of Gilcamstoun in 1456 to
David Forsyth who was believed to have moved north from
Edinburgh. Later his grandson died with King James IV under the King's standard
at Flodden Field in 1513. William Forsyth was the Member for
Forres in the Scots Parliament of 1621. Settlement in the North-East also took
place from 1508 when Alexander, son of David Forsyth of Dykes,
settled near Monymusk where anciently his fue was known as
"Forsithsland". From him probably descended the Rev.
Alexander John Forsyth, who was the inventor of the percussion
lock which advanced musketry in the 18th century and earned him a pension from
the crown. In the 18th century settlement is documented from the North-east to
Canada and the Americas.
Clan Chief
By the 16th century there was a recognised Clan with it's own Chief. However,
in around 1650 the Clan Forsyth entered historical darkness when
the ships of Oliver Cromwell carrying the records of all the Clans as spoils of
war, sank of Berwick upon Tweed. The then Chief failed to re-establish his
claim to the name and his Armorial bearings when Charles II instituted a public
register of the Clans in 1672.
Interest in reviving the Clan began in the early years of the 20th century
with the formation of a Forsyth Family Association in Glasgow. So
for 300 years there was no Chief and no Clan, but on St. Andrew's Day in 1978
the Lord Lyon, King of Arms, once again recognised the Clan
Forsyth as one of the old Clans of Scotland and Alistair
Forsyth of that Ilk as it's Chief.
Alistair received the nomination because his family can be traced back fifteen
generations to a Fife laird, Andrew Forsyth, who lived near
Falkland, where it is known that in the 16th century Forsyths
were courtiers of the Scottish Kings at Falkland Palace. It is therefore
appropriate that the formal inauguration of the new Chief should have taken
place at a service held in Falkland Palace.
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